Budding actors from Bihar recount journey

PATNA: Sushant Singh Rajput’s

journey

from the lanes of Rajiv Nagar to the glittering film industry in Mumbai was cut short by fate, and yet, it has been an inspiration for many

budding actors

from the state, who are struggling to make a name in the cut-throat film world.


Aditya Kumar, who is known for his turn as ‘Perpendicular’ in the Manoj Bajpai-starrer ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, identifies with Sushant’s struggle and journey to the top and says his own journey from Bihar to Bollywood is full of ups and downs.

“Being from Bihar is in itself a stereotype for no particular reason. Besides, reaching a place where people actually recognize and know us is something that can’t be achieved in a day or two. It requires years of struggle and there are still chances of not succeeding,” Aditya says.

The 27-year-old actor from Biharsharif also feels there’s a lack of communication in Bollywood. “Fellow actors, directors and producers ask us to reach out whenever an incident like this happens, but nobody makes us feel that we can actually talk to them. I am fortunate to have a few friends in this industry but not everybody is lucky,” he adds.

Actor Adhyayan Suman, son of yesteryear actor Shekhar Suman, is bitter about his own experiences. “Being the son of a renowned actor, I was always judged for not being like him. At times, I was given tags, which affected my mental health badly but I got through it all. The pressure, stress, trolling and insensitive behaviour are the main reasons behind the suicide cases that have been witnessed in the last few years,” says the 32-year old actor.

Pankaj Jha, a Saharsa born actor, who is known for his role in “Black Friday”, says, “It is like a curse for actors like me who hail from small towns. Besides, staying alone in a city like Mumbai gives all sort of

negative thoughts

but getting over those thoughts is the real challenge.”

Avinash Tiwary, a 34-year-old actor from Gopalganj, who after 15 years of struggle got his first break in 2018, has evidently not had an easy journey. “The industry didn’t have a place for outsiders back then. I still remember the days when I used to get short-listed as one of the top two or top three but was left out. There were years when I was totally out of work. Not receiving the kind of projects I deserved definitely demotivated me but I always knew my worth,” he said.

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