Abhishek Banerjee: Being an outsider is a drawback but also a blessing

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/Abhishek Banerjee

Casting director-turned-actor Abhishek Banerjee, known for his performances in Stree, Dream Girl, Bala, and more recently Paatal Lok, has shed light on what it takes to be an outsider in the Hindi film industry, how it is a drawback but also a blessing.

Talking to Hindustan Times, he said, "It is definitely a drawback but it is also a blessing. There is no pressure, my family name is not attached to me. Even the smallest of success becomes glory for me. Doing Stree and Dream Girl, they were glory moments for my family. Here, even if the son has a small achievement, the family is happy."

He added, "But if I was a star kid, the pressure would be 200%. I had to do good and would have to be in successful films, only then my family name would shine and they will say 'beta achcha kar raha hai." A lot of actors in Bollywood have spoken about how they have lost roles to other actors after coming on board. Did he ever face that?

This is what he answered, "I never auditioned for any lead role, that dilemma never happened. I never came to Bombay to be a hero. I always wanted to be an actor. Even if I play the protagonist, I will treat it like being an actor. That pressure was never there. I know I am not in a competition so my heart will never be broken."

Giving his take on the star kids and how he doesn't get disheartened by the opportunities they are bestowed with, he stated, " If you start thinking that players are already in the cricket field, how will I get there? If you start thinking like this, you will stop working hard. It is you who make your name, it is not your money or your family. No matter whose child you are, you will have to work for yourself."

He continued, "If someone will inherit his father's shop or follow their footsteps in the army, it will happen. You don't need to have a problem with that, we need to work hard towards it so that we can also find our place in the industry. They are more than ready to accept us. There are so many big names who have no one related in the industry but are doing so well."

Also Read: Abhishek Banerjee On Paatal Lok: It's Coming From Reality, It's Not Avengers

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