Avinash Wadhawan
has spent around 30 years in the entertainment industry and has seen it all — the highs and the lows and the vagaries of showbiz. But he believes this is a fantastic time for any actor, given the different mediums that have come up. He says, “I am one of the fortunate actors who, in my 30 long years in this industry, got opportunities to work in all mediums, whether it’s the big screen,
television or OTT platforms.”
He started with a bang as a leading actor and did a number of
Bollywood
films like
Ayee Milan
Ki Raat,
Papi Gudia
,
Dil Ki Baazi
, Balmaa, Junoon and
Geet
among
others, but hit a roadblock at one point in life. He says, “During the ’90s, I played hero in about 17 Hindi films. I worked with top heroines and directors of that decade. Around that time, I had a personal setback, which consumed all my mental energy. The emotional bruises put me in seclusion and resulted in me taking a big break from my flourishing career. I forgot the fact that in this cut-throat competitive film industry, one has to eat, breathe and sleep movies or else, in no time, other aspirants would grab your opportunities. With no mobiles or internet during that time, everyone thought I had quit this industry. By the time I could regain myself, I became a perfect example of ‘out of sight is out of mind’.”
He managed to make a comeback and started with regional films. Avinash says, “Between 2000 and 2010, I did films in Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil,
Bhojpuri
and Bengali, after which I got into Hindi television, and in recent times, I’m also doing web shows. So yes, I have experienced it all and it is my good fortune to balance all mediums today, but the hunger to do more is there.”
Talking about the difficulty he faces, given the fact that he started as a hero in films, he says, “The problem I’ve been facing is that after experiencing success and adulation as a leading man in Hindi cinema, it becomes difficult for me to accept roles which I feel are mediocre.
Being in the 50-plus age bracket, my options are anyway limited. I’m looking to do protagonist roles that suit my age and personality. I’m
happy to receive such offers, but they’re few and far between. I want to be slow and steady, choose my projects wisely and strive to make a
strong comeback.”
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