Amol Parashar: I have lost out on roles of a Delhi boy despite being from the city – Times of India

Tripling fame actor Amol Parashar, who is also an IIT graduate, visited Lucknow recently. A popular face on OTT, the actor has also received accolades for his several performances on the big screen in movies like Sardar Udham, Dolly Kitti Aur Vo Chamakte Sitare, Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, among others. A Delhite, who resides in Mumbai now, Amol says, “Initially when I used to give auditions for the character of a Delhi boy, people would not like it at all. For quite some time, I didn’t understand what they wanted out of me as a Delhi boy but eventually, I realized that there is a stereotyped image of Delhi created in the minds of people from what is being shown in TV shows and movies like Fukrey and Band Baja Baraat. As a result of this, they expect me to also act in a similar manner.” “Over a period of time, I understood what exactly are the qualities of a stereotypical Delhi boy in the filmmakers mind while staying in Mumbai. The funny part is that even though main toh apne aap ko Dilli ka manta hun lekin filmein mujhe Dilli ka nahi maanti. I don’t get the Delhi boy type roles. And as lucky would have it, I have lost out on several roles of a Delhi boy despite being from the city. It was only after several rejections, that I understood that what exactly do the makers want of me as a Delhite, that is being loud, talking in a Punjabi accent, etc. (laughs).”
Not coming from an acting background and then nailing roles with his acting skills, Amol has come a long way. “As a youngster, I did not think of being an actor. I started my acting journey very casually by performing in college theatre which I thoroughly enjoyed. Being someone who never even considered himself a public speaker and always got nervous on stage, it was pretty surprising for me to enjoy theatre. This thing of having fun on stage made me introspect if it is what I really wanted to do in life. I was also given a ‘Best Actor’ award in college but even that didn’t give me a kick of pursuing acting on a serious level. Later, its only when I shifted to Mumbai to give it a try that it became my passion and I started taking it seriously.”
An engineer who later turned into an actor, Amol says he did not take permission from his parents for switching careers and pursuing acting. “My parents were quite worried about my future but they also acted as a shield for me protecting me from all the log kya kahengey comments of people. Initially, my parents were shocked with my decision to become an actor and not an engineer. However, they are quite happy with what I have achieved today and now stay near my house in Mumbai,” he shared.
— Inputs from Snigdha Agarwal