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In conversation with Ankit Siwach
When someone mentions Ankit Siwach, one immediately thinks of the word versatile. From Rishton Ka Chakravyuh to his recent endeavour, Safarnama, Ankit’s body of work reflects his sheer dedication towards his profession. In an exclusive conversation with Ankit, I asked him what inspired him to become an actor, to which he responded, “It was not a sudden realisation, neither a long-term planning and plotting to become one. I believe that in the smallest of actions and decisions combined with a mindset and gut feeling made it sound like “It was planned”. The urge to stand out, to work in cinema, to be able to make a change around myself has made the journey worthwhile. It all started from Meerut, my hometown, completing education from Delhi to then exploring the industry in Mumbai and now working as an actor. I feel I am blessed to be a part of all this.”
Ankit’s career choices have been unique, from playing Adhiraj in Rishton Ka Chakravyuh to Ram in Manmohini and then Vikram in Beyhadh 2, I was intrigued in his career choices hence asked him what influenced him in making these particular show choices. To which he responded, “As they say, the first project happens to you, what you make out of the opportunity later is all about your conviction, skill development and confidence in yourself. Adhiraj, Ram and Vikram have been vital in moulding me to what I am now, they have set a base for the battles that are yet to be fought. Always grateful to the makers, producers, writers and people who chose me to play these parts.”
I decided to probe further and ask Ankit which character was the most challenging to perform? To which he responded, “I was a fresher when Adhiraj happened and it took a ton of effort from the team and myself to make it work. It was a testing time for me but I realised all that matters is giving your 500% all the time, and so I did. Manmohini was also a very difficult show, very taxing, physically, mentally, emotionally, but it took me a level up by all means. However, I enjoyed playing Vikram the most, as it gave me the freedom to play around as a character.”
Besides the acting space, Ankit recently hosted Safarnama, a travel show. I asked him about his experience hosting and of course travelling. To which he responded, “Safarnama will always be a very special part of my life, the month-long journey, covering everything possible, entering uncharted territories and exploring the anchor in me. We toiled really hard to make that show and bring it on air, all blood sweat and determination with God’s blessings.” I then asked if this is something he is keen on doing again, to which he added: “I will definitely create another season soon.”
For those that don’t know, Safarnama is also Ankit’s debut in the world of production. I asked him how his experience was from the conception to the telecast of the show and whether there were any challenges, if so, how did he overcome them? To which he responded, “I never knew producing a show could be such a task, my partner Ishan Jacob and I had plans of making such content for a long time, so we decided to begin with something in which we could tell real stories to people, hence a travel show. The aim was to telecast a real reality show. There were challenges, hindrances, delays, losses, plan failures and whatnot. But in the end what matters is a well finished meaningful product, which by God’s grace we were able to pull off.”
I then decided to ask Ankit whether he is open to producing more non-fiction as well as fiction projects in the future and if so then would audiences get to see him in these projects? To which he responded, “Under the banner of Aquataur Films, we have written some good content to create something meaningful in the near future, the sole purpose of being a producer is to take up responsibilities to make something that we always dreamt of. This is just an initial stage, it might take months, years or decades to bring out the best in us, but our basic ethic is to create the best possible product each and every time. To make an impact, to leave the audiences with something they can ponder upon. If the writers and directors feel I can play a part in any such project, I will be all in.”
Whilst discussing the future, I probed Ankit whether there is any particular genre that he is interested in performing and also if he is open in doing OTT platform projects? To which he responded, “I am open to being a part of stories that excite me, be it TV, OTT or Films. What matters the most is the thought behind the character, the vision, the belief and conviction of the makers in order to extract all that I have inside me as an artist. I love my work, and I dedicate my life to it.”
Besides the workspace, Ankit got married earlier this year in a close-knit ceremony in Uttarakhand to his long-time girlfriend Nupur Bhatia. Asking him about his marriage experience so far, Ankit gave a quick witty response, “The only reason I love 2020 is that it gave me a year-long extended honeymoon.”
In discussing how 2020 has been a challenging year for us all, I asked Ankit what is the one important thing he learnt this year that he would like to share. To which he responded, “The world is seeing a transition, people have faced difficulties we can’t even imagine of. The most important thing I have learnt is to be patient, to cherish what we have, to live in the moment. The world needs more love, we should take up the responsibility to spread as much love as possible.”
Finally, I asked Ankit if he has any final messages for his fans? To which he responded, “To all the fans, friends reading this piece: Pray for the world, take care of your loved ones, prioritise your family and health, work harder, stay strong and be the change you want to see around you. Your love is all that matters.”
Well, there you have it folks that is Ankit Siwach in an exclusive conversation with Urban Asian.
Keep reading Urban Asian and I shall be back with another article soon.
