There is a lot to her body of work that is punctuated by her own approach to life. From choosing scripts, that have a lot more than meets the eye, to delivering wonderfully nuanced performances, Tanya Singh has, in every project she has worked on, left an indelible mark. An incredibly gifted actor, she has the ability to not only seamlessly flow into the mind of the character that she is playing, but also the exceptional gift for making the audience feel every whispered word that her character utters. Through our conversation, it becomes apparent that this, truly, is what she is meant to do.

Raised amid the warm summers of Kanpur, Singh has a very emotional bond with the city she spent her earliest years in. The manner in which she describes her childhood, surrounded by her closest friends and family, paints the picture of an individual who not only cherishes the thought of home but also holds a certain reverence for it. As a matter of fact, she recalls how, as a child, they would, often, take road trips to her maternal grandmother’s house. Incidentally, the 1973 film, ‘Garm Hava’, was shot in Singh’s grandmother’s residence.

As a child, Singh always felt drawn to theatrics, hilariously recalling how she would spend time lost in her own imagination, doing hair flips in front of a mirror. Coming from a family that placed an emphasis on education, Singh’s father, a doctor, always encouraged her to take her education seriously. And, while she did clear her entrance exams, there was always this other side of her that was drawn to the world of dramatics. What bolstered her fascination with this world was the fact that her maternal side of the family also had this same passion for the art of acting.

Initially stepping into the industry through modelling, Singh touches on how she actually got into acting. In point of fact, she recalls her first audition. Back in 2016, a friend of hers, former creative director at TVF, contacted her about a role on the eve of an audition. The part, in question, was for a mini web-series. Landing the role, Singh was, at the outset, a little hesitant about her own inexperience with acting. As she, herself, states, ‘Up until then, I had just been acting in bathrooms’. Her hesitation was unfounded, however, as she received the guidance she needed from the creative team for the web-series. Looking back, she counts that whole experience as the single bravest step she has taken in her journey. Fraught with her own uncertainty and a general sense of apprehensiveness about whether she was up to the task, Singh, in fact, persevered and sailed through it, and, quite wonderfully so.

If you look at some of the work she has done, you see an artist who has a distinct sense of what movies and shows should be able to touch upon. Commenting on her short film, ‘Chhodh Pakad’, Singh explores how films that depict tiny slices of life have a very special place. Scripts that allow for someone to relate to what is actually on screen evoke a certain sense of emotional attachment from the audience. And, as she says, roles such as these are something that she gravitates towards. 

Speaking of roles and performances, when asked about what her perfect role would be like, Singh remarks on wanting to play a strong female character, someone who has an untethered sense of identity and is, possibly, engaged in her own political power play. This doesn’t come as a surprise. Singh, having grown up around strong, independent women, has always had an idea of what it truly means to be someone you look up to. You only need to hear the way she lovingly describes her mother and grandmother to understand this.

Exploring the changing nature of the industry and the way content is being consumed, Singh dives into how there will always be a balance between the bigger budget feature films and the smaller independent films. Even back in the day, there was the space for more independent films to succeed. The successes of movies such as ‘Bheja Fry’ and ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ provided such a strong foundational base for how the subject matter of films is being chosen today. Today, content, really, is king. Now, as she goes on to explain, the idea of being able to relate and the untethered manner in which content is being distributed through multiple platforms provides such a massive scope for all genres of films and shows to flourish and reach their intended audiences.

Singh has had a remarkable beginning to her career. Indeed, as she talks about her first short film, ‘Unarranged’, she recalls the massively positive reaction that it garnered. ‘Unarranged’ came at a time when the idea of social networking and the impact of online circulation for content was beginning to gain traction. In just a week of it’s release, ‘Unarranged’ had racked up over eight lakh views. That whole experience made her realise that this was something that she had a legitimate shot at. If she went on to prove herself a little more, things would fall in place. And, that is exactly what happened.

Even so, Singh asserts that she had never envisioned that she would be taking up acting as a profession. She imagined her life would be completely different, with her taking up a more conventional job and pursuing a career that she studied for. What is actually pretty wild is the fact that she was actually meant to take up a position at a company she had been hired by, just days before her first audition. She chose to carve out her own path and that has made all the difference.

Commenting on how accessible everything is these days, Singh states that it has become a lot easier for someone to chase something they are passionate about. With the availability of so many platforms, it is crucial to start exploring and putting your work out there so that others can see it.  The one caveat that she stresses on, however, is the need to finish your education. That, she says, takes a backseat for some when they set out to pursue something that they are passionate about. That may prove detrimental in the long run. Coming from a background that has stressed the importance of education in her life, Singh is grateful and counts herself fortunate that she chose to finish her education before she set out on her journey to pursue acting. And, from the looks of it, Tanya Singh’s journey ahead is shaping up to be a beautiful one.

With a mellow lilt in his voice and a certain ease, that can only come with being self-assured, Dinesh Mohan speaks candidly about himself. There is a sort of simplicity in the way he describes his experiences and opinions. Perhaps, it is a simplicity born out of the approach he takes in his life or maybe it is just a desire to be straightforward. Whatever the case may be, it is refreshing to hear him walk you through the circumstances and the experiences he has had so far.

Spending his childhood in the unrelenting summers of Rohtak, Mohan grew up in a conventional Indian family, whiling away the time painting, reading and taking trips with his parents. It is interesting to see how he took his first step in the modelling industry. At a certain point, he decided to engage with his life in a manner that was more wholesome and beneficial to his own well-being. What followed was a major transformation, one that was, decidedly, for himself and his own happiness. What he did not realize was that everyone around him had noticed the change in him. A neighbour, impressed with his renewed appearance, posted a photograph of him online. It was then that the offers from modelling agencies flew in.

His first assignment was from a modelling agency in Delhi for a still photograph campaign. Initially nervous about it, Mohan was pleasantly surprised at the ease with which he grew into it. Faced with flashing lights and all eyes being on him, he found, in himself, a quiet confidence and reassurance. It was then that he realized that this just might be something he could pursue seriously. Later, after a successful taste of what the modelling industry had to offer, he, upon the suggestion of an acquaintance, decided to branch out to acting, beginning, yet, another chapter in his life.

Even so, his journey, so far, has not been one without doubts. At the beginning, excited after his first assignment, when Mohan wanted to share the news with those around him, concerns were raised about his age and the fickle nature of the industry he was diving into. However, for him, this whole journey has not been about proving anything to anybody else. This was, completely, for him and about taking the opportunities that presented themselves to him. This same thought, of seizing opportunities, is one that he practices in his habits and his life. From approaching fitness, in a manner that is holistic and emphasizes a focus on mental well-being, to diving headfirst into the challenges that presented themselves in his line of work, Mohan realizes the importance of taking chances and embracing them completely. Fun fact, at times he dances and jumps around wildly to get himself warmed up before training. 

There is little Mohan won’t try but he will try them in his own way. In his words, you sense a personal drive. Modelling and acting are a part of his life, not the entirety of it. There is a professional drive, of course, a desire to work and perfect himself in his own craft. However, there is the undeniable feeling that his professional aspirations are intrinsically tied to his personal drive to just live his life better each day, embracing and enjoying it wholly. Indeed, he considers his weight loss a turning point in his life, a big leap of faith that has led to other positive changes in his life.

Consequently, he puts a lot of emphasis on constantly working and polishing latent skills and abilities. That is a general truth, he says, about human life. From a personal example, he relates that idea to his acting career. Recognizing one’s own shortcomings and constantly evolving in one’s endeavours is critical to becoming better progressively. With this thought, he urges anybody pursuing their dreams to seize opportunities, regardless of how outlandish things may seem initially. Mulling things over, second guessing presented opportunities constantly would not be conducive in the larger scheme of things. After all, it is upon one’s own hands that the opportunity lies. And, Dinesh Mohan has firmly grasped the ones in his.

Acquainted with theatre since the age of 6, Sonakshi believes in tramping over the benchmark former great actors have set. She was enrolled in several workshops conducted by National School of Drama at the age of 6. She witnessed the change from being a hesitant child initially reluctant in going to the workshop to feeling “devasted” at the conclusion of the workshop. She believes her parents kickstarted and fostered her interest in theatre, tells that they were theatre enthusiast themselves, his father even had his own theatre group back then and her primary inspiration rests with her father’s acting skills. Oftentimes you need a retrospective eye to recognize your potential and give you a direction. Engaged in commercials and serials at a tender age she was given that direction where she found her joy by her parents which she carried out avidly after college by herself.

Sonakshi has worked in the remarkable plays like “Romi-Juli” directed by Mohit Tripathi and “Machli Jal Ki Rani” directed by Shilpa Shukla and has been a part of commercials for Parle 20-20, Airtel, Vivo and Nescafé. She accepts her efforts as a necessary endeavor in achieving her goal and declines calling the small “hurdles” as “struggles”. She marks failures as a sort of ‘Riyaz’ for the actual performance that lies ahead, as an opportunity for introspection and improvisation.

As an actor she is inspired by the work of Pankaj Kapoor. She also adds that she would want to play the role of a murderer in a murder mystery. In leisure she enjoys listening to music, practicing new tunes on her ukulele, watching movies and writing. She always knew she was meant for a creative field like this and cannot adapt herself to the 9 to 5 schedule of MNC jobs. No wonder, she courageously left one such job within 12 days to pursue theatre.

“Jab yuddha nahi ho raha hota tab yuddha ki tayari ho rahi hoti hai”, Sonakshi tells quoting her father’s advice to which she abides by. She believes attaining one’s goal is a result of perseverant efforts. In dark times when you’re low you can always seek support from the close ones but life is about treading on, she believes.

For her acting is a revitalizing process, where every day you adapt to the new identities with different professions, learn new things to create your own distinct identity. Theatre is a reflection of society on a stage, metamorphosis in real life is helpful in the reel and the lessons of reel life are the crux of transformation in the real life, she implies.

Acting is one of those crafts which seems effortless and accessible enough but is deviously tricky to master. And understandably so! It’s hard to figure out oneself let alone a completely different person whose skin you need to get into. Many people use acting as a form of escapism; they take refuge in the storytelling and enjoy being someone else for a while. And some do it to explore things they wouldn’t do themselves but can do as a character. 

One of Shakespeare’s most famous lines is, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”. Maybe we do use acting without even realising it, who knows? Archak Chhabra is a young actor who is not limited. He has starred in short films ‘Khujli’ and ‘Shunyata’. And also in the music videos of ‘Kesariya Balam by Avanti Patel’ and ‘Tore Bin by Avanti Patel’.  

In more active roles he has starred in ‘Asur’- A Voot Select original in which he played the role of Aditya Jalan. But that’s not it. He’s also appeared in a feature film directed by popular director Ram Gopal Verma called ‘12 o’clock’. His trajectory has only gone upwards and we can expect him to go even higher!

Born and brought up in NTPC Dadri (about 40kms from Ghaziabad, U.P) in a township, Archak attended Amity University to pursue BSC in IT. But for him, pursuing acting isn’t mutually exclusive to other learning opportunities. Apart from acting, he also loves coding and music. His life changed when he attended a workshop by the ‘adishakti’ theatre group in Pondicherry.

He gets his motivation from self-awareness and his family and believes that it takes time for people to realise what their unique talent is.

We wish him all the best for his career and can’t wait to see him become the ‘next big thing’!

Oscar Wilde once said, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” That is the dynamism of the theatre. It introduces us to the truest essence of the human through its stage and curtains. Today, we bring you the journey of one such actor who portrays the finer nuances of life on stage. In a recent exchange with The Talented Indian, Gaurav Dubey recalled his journey towards his dream, i.e. theatre.

Born in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, Gaurav graduated from the University of Delhi. Ever since he was a child he was interested in the theatre but his middle-class background did not prove instrumental in nurturing his passion. Although his love for acting was clear since childhood as he watched movies and used to wonder the magic behind the song, dance and music, over the years, like any other kid, his interests kept changing from becoming a pilot to a lawyer. However, his love for acting stayed intact and it was something that he wanted to pursue all along.

As a theatre actor, he participated in numerous ‘nukkad nataks’ portraying the real issues of society and raising awareness among people. His street plays include AAJEVIKA regarding equal rights for women, DASTAK that talks about the harassment faced by the women in the society and PEHCHAAN that puts the limelight on LGBTQ community, among others.

He believes the street plays that he performs not just raises awareness for others but for themselves too since before the act lands on paper, it has a long process of research that includes sharing of real-life stories and meeting different people from varied lifestyles, approaches and perceptions. Such amalgamation of various encounters molds the senses of the artist and craves unparalleled talent.

It was during his third year that he discovered the magical world of theatre and decided to pursue it. The best part of this journey was the unconditional support of his father. Inspired by the actor Raj Kapoor, he admires the innocence in his eyes and appreciates the social message his films conveyed. This ability of theatre and cinema to bring about a social change turned out to be his motivation for his art.

It has been three years since he has been learning his craft and all this while he understood that failure for him is when he is unable to characterize himself as the one assigned to him by the director. He also highlighted the importance of being educated in the craft of acting, by stating that “in an industry where the definition of hero or success needs to evolve, such education comes in handy while sailing towards ones ambition.” Finally, while concluding he stated that he aspires to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and we at The Talented Indian wish him good luck for his dream. May we see you on big screen soon!