Actor Ankit Raizada who plays the lead role of Aman Singh Rajput in Star Plus’ popular show Advocate Anjali Awasthi, will soon exit the show. The show is headed for a generation leap, which will bring about fresh beginnings in the story line. Ankit who excelled in his lover boy role in the show is happy that the show came his way. As he looks ahead, he wants to be part of stories that challenge him as a performer.
In an exclusive chat with IWMBuzz.com, Ankit talks about the leap in the show, his exit and much more.
Read on.
How has the experience of Advocate Anjali Awasthi been for you in totality?
The journey has been an interesting mix of learning, growth and patience. As an actor, I came on board with a lot of excitement and hope for the role. While there were moments that truly allowed me to express my role, there were also times when I felt that my potential as a performer was not fully explored. Overall, every day on set taught me something about the craft, the industry and myself.
Characters that have depth, conflict and a journey, are what I look for. I don’t mind experimenting with genres as long as I feel challenged and will add something meaningful to my growth.
Was an option given to you to continue post-leap?
Yes, there were internal discussions that happened. But creatively the direction that the post-leap story took did not align with what I was looking for at this point of time in my journey. I strongly believe in being part of something where I can contribute meaningfully, failing which it is better to part ways respectfully.
How was it to work with Shritama Mitra?
It has been good. She is focused, committed, and has a good screen presence. We have done good romantic sequences together, and people liked our chemistry.
Working outside Mumbai for so long. What did you learn?
Being away from Mumbai taught me resilience. It made me appreciate the comfort and chaos of home. More importantly, it taught me how to adapt both professionally and personally. When you are away from your home and support system, you grow stronger, more independent and focus amid unfamiliar environments.
What will you miss the most from the sets?
I will miss meeting my friends from Mumbai. I will miss my co-actors from the set. Also, the actors from Kolkata have been good. The hospitality of the people here has been so amazing. The atmosphere here is very different. I will miss the entire crew.
Looking ahead, what are your plans?
I will take time to reflect and realign myself. I have worked almost for a year, and have been in Kolkata for a year. The idea is to be part of more layered stories, where I can explore my full range as an actor. I will now focus on shows that are not mainly female-dominated, and there is a balanced approach to seeing both the male and female leads. The next step is definitely quality work, which is certainly quality over quantity.
What kind of roles or shows will now draw your attention?
I want performance-driven roles whether it is TV, OTT or films. Characters that have depth, conflict and a journey, are what I look for. I don’t mind experimenting with genres as long as I feel challenged and will add something meaningful to my growth.
What do you have to say about generation leaps? Many have worked and a few have not.
As an actor, it is hard to answer this question. Generation leaps are creative tools and depend on how they are executed. There are leaps which have worked wonderfully well and brought fresh energy to the shows, while a few have not worked well. The key to success lies in storytelling. It is also important to have a dignified closure to existing characters and their story arcs, as the audience has had a happy connect with them. Generation leaps are means to revive a show, push the ratings further and take the show to higher levels.
