Before playing an innocent college student attracted to his professor (played by Radhika Apte) in the web film Lust Stories, Akash Thosar portrayed a zestful boy-next-door in the acclaimed Marathi film, Sairat (2016). However, fans would be surprised to know that the 25-year-old never had plans of facing the camera.
It was one day that heading home to Jeur (Solapur district, Maharashtra) from Pune, Akash was spotted at a railway station by Bharat Manjule, brother of Sairat director Nagraj Manjule, and that meeting changed his life.
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“I had never even performed on stage. The only camera I knew about was phone camera. Sairat was my first acting project and the film happened to me by chance. I was going home from Pune where Nagraj Manjule’s brother saw me and asked me to come for the audition. I always wanted to me meet Nagraj ji, I am a huge fan [of his work]. He asked me to perform something in front of the camera after which I was told that they will get back to me. And I thought that it won’t work out. But on my way back, I got another call from his team and they told me to come back for a look test, as I was selected. Soon, my workshop began,” says Akash, who has also starred in Mahesh Manjrekar’s FU: Friendship Unlimited that released last year.
So if not an actor, what did Akash wanted to become? “I was into wrestling. Along with my studies, I used to only do that. I actually wanted to become a police officer, and had even tried for it once. When that did not work out, I tried joining the army, and had even trained for two months,” says Akash. “It was my dream. But now, acting is something that I am thoroughly enjoying, and would like to make sure that I work even harder,” the actor adds.
{{/usCountry}}So if not an actor, what did Akash wanted to become? “I was into wrestling. Along with my studies, I used to only do that. I actually wanted to become a police officer, and had even tried for it once. When that did not work out, I tried joining the army, and had even trained for two months,” says Akash. “It was my dream. But now, acting is something that I am thoroughly enjoying, and would like to make sure that I work even harder,” the actor adds.
{{/usCountry}}What followed that chance meeting is history. Akash says that working with Manjule on the National Award-winning film changed his life for the better. “The film connected so well with the audience that people still talk about it. I never expected that the film would change my life. I am indebted to Nagraj sir. He gave me this opportunity, guided me like a mentor. He still helps me out with the kind of work I should take up,” says the actor, who is in talks for his next Marathi project.
Author tweets @Shreya_MJ
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