Yearly, a number of actors enter the movie trade with the dream of turning into stars and making it huge within the trade, however only some of them are in a position to get the popularity. Actor Vikhyat Gulati could also be getting recognition at present, however his journey from Delhi’s theatre circuits to Mumbai’s aggressive leisure trade has been something however simple.
In an interview with Hindustan Occasions, the actor opens up about humble beginnings, struggling to outlive in Mumbai, studying theatre in New York and ultimately bagging a task within the acclaimed sequence Kohrra season 2.
“For me it was all the time the stage”
Born and raised in Delhi in a Punjabi household, Vikhyat says appearing wasn’t precisely a deliberate dream however one thing that saved evolving with time. “I gained’t name it a dream, however it was all the time a piece in progress,” he says. “Children play completely different sports activities, choose up completely different hobbies, however for me, it was all the time the stage. I don’t know if it was a unconscious alternative or too engaging or too daring for me to talk and act in entrance of the viewers.”
Paradoxically, his first stage look led to tears. “I nonetheless keep in mind my first function. I used to be in preschool, and we had a monologue competitors, and I performed the a part of the Joker. My mom put in lots of effort to arrange me, however jaise hello essential stage pe chadha (as quickly as I bought on stage), I began crying,” he laughs. However the stage saved calling him again. “From that second, yearly I’ve been on stage both appearing, managing manufacturing, lighting or directing a play. It turned a factor after my twelfth customary.”
Apparently, Vikhyat was initially headed in direction of a very completely different profession. “I used to be really going to do lodge administration, and I bought into one of many world’s finest faculties, IHM Pusa, Delhi. I bought the two hundredth rank all throughout India. However certainly one of my associates influenced me to come back to Delhi College, the place there was lots of theatre. So I went there, began doing theatre, after which I by no means seemed again.” That call ultimately led him to radio, writing, casting and eventually appearing in entrance of the digital camera.
“In New York, a instructor mocked Indian cinema. That hit me”
Vikhyat additionally hung out finding out theatre in New York, an expertise that opened his eyes to international views. “It was initially difficult as a result of once you transfer to a unique tradition, they don’t take you that critically,” he remembers. “One of many academics commented on Indian cinema. Throughout COVID, we had been taking courses on-line, and one scholar mentioned she had labored with an Indian crew. The instructor made a remark that ‘yeh toh yahan se uthake vahan chep dete hain’ (They copy from right here and paste it someplace). That actually hit me.”
Till then, he hadn’t launched himself, and when he did, he informed him all that he had already executed. With this, he managed to vary the instructor’s perspective for good. Whereas he acknowledges the distinction between industries, he believes Indian theatre and writing nonetheless maintain robust floor. “It’s a very completely different trade. Ours is a bit unorganised, and that one is organised. Broadway reveals are one thing now we have but to realize right here. However in writing, now we have individuals like Girish Karnad, Rakesh and different authors. We simply have to work more durable when it comes to presentation.”
An opportunity assembly that modified every thing
Earlier than appearing alternatives arrived, Vikhyat labored behind the scenes in casting. “I occurred to satisfy Anmol Ahuja and approached him, saying I wish to do that. I didn’t method him as an actor,” he remembers. “He mentioned, come tomorrow. I seen he was saying this to everybody. However after I went the following day, nobody was there besides me. I spoke to him, and he employed me in three minutes.”
From 2018 to 2020, he labored in casting till the pandemic paused every thing. However the affiliation later helped him return to the trade differently. “In 2021, the casting crew contacted me once more to solid for season certainly one of Kohrra as a result of I converse Punjabi nicely. Then in 2024, Nikita contacted me asking if I might do it once more, and that’s how season two occurred.”
Beating 150 actors to land Kohrra season 2
Apparently, Vikhyat by no means auditioned for his function in Kohrra with the intention of enjoying it himself. “We had open calls in over 15 cities. We had been actually on the streets casting for this venture,” he says. For the character Johnny Malang, the crew auditioned almost 150 actors. “I used to be by no means auditioning different individuals, pondering I wish to play this half. However once we had been in Chandigarh-Panchkula, one other casting assistant and I had been jamming on the scene and recorded it. It got here out actually good,” he mentioned.
That recording modified issues. “Nikita advised that since you’re additionally an actor, simply ship it to the crew. I despatched it, and Sudeep sir actually favored it.” The actor ended up enjoying the function of Johnny Malang, an influencer who’s a homicide suspect on the run, however is definitely harmless and only a fraud. The actor obtained reward for his efficiency and the tag of a “blue-haired boy” too, as he colored his hair so as to add realism to the character.
The cruel actuality of shifting to Mumbai
Like many actors, Vikhyat’s transfer to Mumbai got here with its share of harsh classes. “While you graduate from Delhi College and have executed good theatre in DUTC, aapka ek rutba ban jata hai (It builds a popularity), however after I went to Mumbai, I used to be all of a sudden a no one,” he says.
The primary month hit him exhausting. “Mumbai reveals you the fact. Within the first month, I bought a actuality verify, and I moved again to Delhi and continued theatre.” He returned once more in 2018 with renewed dedication. “I attended workshops, taught theatre to kids and slowly work began rolling.”
When Vikhyat was stranded on street
One among his most tough recollections is from his first day in Mumbai. “I had spoken to 2 faculty associates who had been interning there, and so they mentioned I may crash at their place. However after I reached Mumbai with two luggage and referred to as them, each of them gave excuses,” he remembers.
All of a sudden, he had nowhere to go. “I used to be actually stranded on the street and had no place for 2 days.” Ultimately, a distant contact helped him discover momentary shelter. “A pal’s sister organized a spot the place I stayed for 10–15 days till I discovered one thing of my very own.”
Writing actuality reveals and dealing 18 hours a day
To outlive within the costly metropolis, Vikhyat did each doable job within the trade. “I’ve been working because the day I moved to Mumbai as a result of it’s a really costly metropolis and you must be in your toes,” he says. Other than casting, he wrote scripts for actuality reveals and acts in dance reveals typically with out credit score. “There have been dance reveals the place acts had been written for friends. If Shah Rukh Khan or Govinda had been coming, I used to jot down these segments,” he recalled.
A lot of this work by no means formally carried his identify. “There was no contract. I did lots of work on goodwill. Generally there was no credit score on IMDb or TV. I used to take appearing courses to pay my payments and preserve myself afloat. None of this was in my dad and mom’ information.”
The second his dad and mom lastly believed
The turning level got here when he appeared within the in style youth sequence Flames. In Flames, Vikhyat essayed the function of Nikhil, Ritvik Sahore’s elder brother. His scene the place he takes a stand for his youthful brother and goes towards his dad and mom went viral on social media. The primary style of virality helped ease the stress from his dad and mom. “After Flames, the stress from my dad and mom dialled down as a result of that was the primary time my character went viral,” he says.
Quickly, that second turned emotional for him. “My father was travelling from Delhi to Gwalior in a prepare. He all of a sudden heard my voice and noticed some boys within the adjoining berth watching that scene. He referred to as me at 2 a.m. and mentioned, ‘voh ladke tera scene dekh rahe hain’. He informed them I used to be his son, and so they clicked photos with him,” he mentioned.
For Vikhyat, that second meant every thing. “I used to be the one son, and my dad and mom had been all the time anxious about what would occur in Mumbai. That was the primary aid.” Quickly, followers began recognising him on the streets. “Few youthful boys stopped me and requested, ‘Are you Nikhil bhaiya?’ Everybody began calling me that.” What initially felt like easy recognition quickly carried a deeper that means. “Initially maza aata tha ki log picture le rahe hain, however after I realised individuals had been regarding the character and sharing their very own tales, I understood it’s one thing a lot deeper.”
Kohrra Season 2, which additionally stars Mona Singh and Barun Sobti, is out there to observe on Netflix.