Ankush Hazra is one of the most talented and celebrated actors of the Bengali regional film industry and his fan following knows no limits. Some of his best works in Bengali cinema include Kelor Kirti, Ki Kore Toke Bolbo, Bolo Dugga Maiki, Jamai 420, Khiladi, Zulfiqar, Idiot & one of the best qualities about Ankush is that he always strives to get bigger and better. Ankush got involved in an exclusive conversation with the Editorial team of IWMBuzz to share insights on his journey till now, a possible career in Bollywood, future plans & more. Read to find out –
Ankush, when was the first time you realized your passion for acting and the fact that you wanted to take it forward as a profession?
Well, when I was in 9th grade, I realized that I wanted to become an actor. I was always a movie lover and used to watch all types of movies in theaters. The ambience inside cinema halls, a dark room with a big screen portraying a story, used to attract me a lot. I loved how the audience reacted to the scenes though they know that these are not real and that all of it is scripted art. Seeing the power of cinema and actors stirring the emotions of the audience, making them laugh, cry, cheer and frown used to fascinate me and I wanted to be a part of it to be able to
bring out reactions from the audience with my acting. Since I came from a non-filmy background, I had to wait till my 12th standard board exams were over before commencing my struggle to step into the industry. I went on dropping my portfolio at different studios until my luck clicked with the offer of Kellafate as my first film. After a gap of 2 years after Kellafate, I got the offer for the film Idiot and there has been no looking back since then.
How difficult or easy was it for you to break into the scene in the Bengali film industry in the first place?
Hmm, it was difficult but I won’t say it was too difficult. There was a period of around a year which was really tough but that is very much obvious since a struggle period is supposed to exist in everyone’s life when they are trying to grow and also since I didn’t have anyone in my family from the film industry, I had to struggle hard to make my place here. However, it wasn’t that difficult either because I have entered the right place at the right time. I stepped in here at the age of 21 and was eligible for portraying college going boy and lover boy type roles. The industry at that time needed faces for these types of roles as there was a vacant space for these roles and I entered exactly at the right time. My struggle included visiting studios after studios for dropping portfolio. I got rejected by some, selected by some and also got rejected even after being selected by some. But this struggle period did not last for the usual long period. So I will say it was not easy but also not very hard.
Tell us 3 of your most favourite movies that you have been a part of till now?
My most favourite films that I have been a part of include Kanamachi, Ami Shudhu Cheyechi Tomay, Zulfiqar and Bibaho Obhijaan. There are more but these four will always top the list.
Action/Romance/Comedy, you have done a bit of almost all. What genre appeals to you the most?
Well, if you ask which is the most challenging genre, I will say comedy. It is extremely difficult to portray a comic role. I feel that the significance of the comedy genre needs to be appreciated and valued more than it’s being done presently. People love to laugh watching comedy scenes and enjoy the experience but very rarely do they appreciate and realize the significance of the comedy element in a film. They view comedy films with a different perspective of standard for a good film compared to films of serious genres. The comedy genre is usually not taken that seriously. I feel extremely happy when I see any comedy film winning awards because it is very hard to balance a comic role. There are very high chances of ending up either overplaying or underplaying a comic role, which makes the balance much tougher. As an actor, I love playing
comedy roles. On the other hand, I feel that action is such a genre that offers a larger than life experience on the big screen and never fails to attract the audience. We cannot stop ourselves from falling in love all over again with our favourite stars and idols when we see them in action avatars on the big screen. Lastly, romance is a genre that blends in well with any other genre. Be it comedy, thriller or action, romance is always there. It is a part of every genre, be it in the form of a romantic song or a scene.
Who are your favourites from Bollywood who inspire you?
I have always been a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan since childhood. Not just as an actor, but as a true struggler. His journey inspires me always. At present, there are a lot of good young generation actors who I admire such as Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan. Especially in the OTT platform, there are many new talented actors whom I admire. Any good actor or good performer inspires me. However, if you ask about being a die hard fan and having a nostalgic connection or a soft corner, then it’s always and only Shah Rukh Khan.
Tell us a bit about your lockdown time and how did you spend it?
I had a really great time with my family during the lockdown. The lockdown made me realize a lot of things. I realized that we usually don’t get enough time to spend with our families even during busy schedules but fail to realize it due to the immense workload. I spent my time playing traditional indoor games with my family which we once used to play in our childhood but slowly it all got trapped under and lost in our busy lives. I also watched a lot of national and international movies on the OTT platform, played many PS4 games, invested time for few workout sessions at home to stay healthy and wrote one or two scripts which are around 80% complete. I will soon be working on these scripts.
Lastly, any plans of venturing into the Hindi entertainment industry anytime soon?
I would love to work in Bollywood films. But now I don’t have that energy to struggle from zero to make my place in Bollywood. Regional films are doing really well now and getting good reach all over the nation due to the advancement and progress of social media and OTT platforms. This has made it easier for a regional actor’s talent to get recognized all over the nation. If I get recognized in this way and get offered with any good role then I definitely will love to work in the Hindi entertainment industry.
