Abhay Mahajan: It's always art over money for me

Actor Abhay Mahajan has been part of many prominent projects, including Pitchers which brought him national exposure, Shantit Kranti, Gachchi and Ashleel Udyog Mitra Mandal. In his next, Trijya, the actor is seen in the role of an artistically inclined youngster trying to find his place in a big city while working as a reporter in a local publication. In terms of decision-making, Abhay says he has always tried to balance art and business, often preferring the former over the latter. “I have let go of many projects that may have paid me well but wouldn’t have satisfied the artiste in me. It’s my way of preserving my art,” he shares. In a chat at his alma mater, the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) in the city, the actor speaks about his journey and what drives him. On the role his college played in his profession While he acted in plays in school, it was at BMCC that his first brush at large-scale exposure happened. “I was part of the play Cycle, which won our college the Purushottam Karandak. The win gave our team the chance to perform 50 shows of the play,” he says, adding, “So my college’s role in my professional journey is very important. My time acting in plays during college helped me develop the sensibility required for an actor, gave me exposure and taught me that acting cannot be done in isolation. It is a collective effort.” A part of the group that has given the industry young talents like Nipun Dharmadhikari, Alok Rajwade, Amey Wagh, Akshay Tanksale, Siddharth Menon and others, Abhay says that the five years of working together in theatre gave all of them a solid referral point for their future, individual journeys. ‘The industry, ultimately, is about business’ Agreeing that the big screen experience is completely unique as an actor and viewer, Abhay adds that the financial aspect of showbiz is very challenging. “It's ultimately a business. When art and business conflict, it results in some confusion for sure. Everyone involved in a big screen project is looking for returns and it’s only fair to expect that. But one also needs to keep the artiste in them alive. We get into the industry for art but soon realise it's more of a business,” he says. ‘Body movement and dance changed my approach drastically’ “We stress a lot on words while acting, but many actors don’t use the body as a means to communicate the emotions they feel,” says Abhay, adding, “In the last 5-6 years, I have understood this and have been implementing it in my roles. Dance has allowed me to change my body completely in terms of adapting to the body language of every character I play.” ‘Pitchers was a turning point for me’ As Saurabh Mandal in Pitchers, Abhay got widespread acclaim. “It was a turning point for me in terms of visibility and national exposure. This was much before the OTT boom, and at that time each of the show’s episodes got about 15 million views. This also helped me get many look tests and Hindi projects. Many Marathi actors find it difficult to break their identity but with Pitchers, it became easier for me,” says the actor who will soon be seen as a villain in a Hindi OTT show and opposite Mukta Barve in a Marathi film.