At the beginning of my career, I was body-shamed, says Abhilash Kumar

Abhilash Kumar has had to face a number of challenges in his showbiz journey, but he is happy that he has managed to overcome them.

The actor, who was recently seen in the film Gabru Gang, says, “I always wanted to get into acting, so after I graduated in 2012 from Delhi, I came to Mumbai and soon became a part of the TV show Best Friends Forever. I was fortunate to get my first show rather quickly, but after that, the journey wasn’t easy. I faced a lot of rejections and was even body-shamed. Without allowing me to audition, they would tell me I was skinny, had average height and was not hero material. I had longish hair then and I guess that too was an issue. All these things would shake my confidence, but I never stopped trying. Now I am a known face, and I no longer face those comments. Today, I bag roles based on my work instead of looks”

However, at one point he did feel like quitting because of personal reasons. “That was in 2021 when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She passed away in a few months. That was a difficult phase and at that point, I wondered whether I should move back to Delhi. But my father and brother told me to pursue my dream,” says Abhilash, who has acted in shows like Yeh hai Aashiqui, Laut Aao Trisha and Kasam.