Alright folks, grab your popcorn because Durgesh Kumar, that guy you love from the web series Panchayat, dishes out some real talk about the glamour-filled yet brutal world of acting. In a recent heart-to-heart with Lallantop, the man spills the beans on his battles with depression, breaking through the glitzy walls of Bollywood, and the survival game he played.
Durgesh Kumar of Panchayat fame admits to battling depression twice in 11 years and discusses survival struggles in the film industry: “This place is filled with crazy people”
Durgesh breaks it down for all the starry-eyed aspirants out there. “You need to be prepared…psychologically, physically, mentally, emotionally and economically,” he says, sounding like a boot camp sergeant. He unveils his own trysts with depression, shedding light on the relentless nature of the industry. “I have battled depression twice in 11 years. Don’t even think about dipping your toes in acting if you’re not psychologically, economically, and mentally fit. I’m not sugar-coating it,” he warns.
He goes on to give a reality check on the film industry, painting a picture that’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Sure, we’ve got talents like Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui shining bright, but Durgesh reminds us of the fierce competition and emotional drain that awaits many. “This place is filled with crazy people,” he says, probably referring to the ones who believe they can break a coconut with their bare hands. He points out the vast number of talented souls who never see the mainstream spotlight.
Moving on to his own saga, Durgesh recalls his initial Mumbai days, where he was practically on his knees begging casting directors for roles, despite having worked in films like Highway, Sultan, and Freaky Ali. “I practically grovelled for roles,” he confesses, admitting the irony of auditioning even after having a filmography.
Panchayat, available on Prime Video, stars Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Chandan Roy, Faisal Malik, Ashok Pathak, and of course, our man Durgesh Kumar. The series has received a thumbs-up for its depiction of rural life and relatable characters.
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Panchayat star Sanvikaa aka Rinky talks about her unexpected path to acting: “It was a very hit-and-trial method”
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Moral of the Story:
Well folks, as much as we love the silver screen and the larger-than-life personas it projects, the behind-the-scenes reality is often as gritty as a Quentin Tarantino film. So, if you’re planning to take a stroll down Bollywood Boulevard, remember to wear your boots because it’s not all red carpets – there’s a good deal of walking on broken glass too. But hey, as they say, “Craziness is like heaven!”
