Abhishek Banerjee Says His Character in "Apurva" is His Darkest Role Yet

Actor Abhishek Banerjee said that in the upcoming movie "Apurva," his character's preferred weapon is a hammer, same like in "Paatal Lok."

Fans will see Banerjee in his "darkest" incarnation to date, according to the actor, who plays one of the antagonists in Tara Sutaria's survival thriller.

"Apurva," which is helmed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, tells the tale of a common lady who must overcome great odds in order to survive. Rajpal Yadav and Dhairya Karwa are also in the movie.

"This specific character doesn't seem to have any gray areas. In 'Apurva,' Hathoda Tyagi used a hathoda (hammer) as his weapon, but in this story, his weapon is his mentality. The film's primary goal is to disrupt that way of thinking. Our society is in grave peril when people think like that.

"There are socio-economic and socio-political contexts when discussing a figure like Vishal Tyagi. You basically just have yourself to blame for this character, not anything else. It's a greater challenge to learn to feel at ease with that. In a sense, this is the darkest role I have ever performed," Banerjee said to PTI.

Casting director fame belongs to the actor, who is also recognized for his humorous roles in movies like "Stree," "Bhediya," and "Bala." He was the casting director of films like "No One Killed Jessica" and "The Dirty Picture".

Having grown up in the theatre, Banerjee claimed that if it weren't for his work as a casting director, he never would have been able to pursue a career in screen acting.

"I never would have gone into acting for the camera if I hadn't been a casting director. Acting for the theater is unique. Your voice, facial expressions, and body language all change significantly when you are performing in front of a large crowd.

However, camera acting is about presenting yourself to that one audience member and living in the moment. It's closer knit. Due to the intimacy of the situation—one performer and one person with a camera—audition rooms can be really frightening for some people," he continued.

The 38-year-old remembered how, during his difficult acting days, he would constantly offer the signals or hold the camera for the aspiring actors.

"I used to enjoy delivering signals because it helped me practice my acting. I would pick up a few tips about camera acting from my fellow performers. Amazingly, some of them. For instance, ever since my audition days, Jaideep Ahlawat has been one of my favorite performers," he remarked.

For budding performers, auditions are an excellent training ground, Banerjee continued.

"I used to get so much knowledge from my auditions every time. I think that edge is still mine. Having worked on characters with filmmakers, I have a great understanding of them. That's why, when I read a character, my first thought is, "This is how the director is thinking about this character; that's the tone."

Sometimes, when we communicate, I talk to them, and I think that helps me comprehend the character better. Having worked in the casting department for so long is definitely advantageous, he stated.

Disney+ Hotstar will begin streaming "Apurva" on November 15.

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