We were lucky to catch up with Avik Pandey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Avik, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

1. Lotus, directed by Hari Iyer. My first feature film as a lead actor. A role that allowed me to flourish in all that I love about acting.

Firstly, as a screen actor, I had so many “first”s on this film –

i. A beautiful dance sequence for which I had the honor of being fulled transformed into Lord Krishna through hours of extensive makeup (I was painted entirely blue), by extraordinary SFX artists.

ii. Voice-over work (my character narrates the entire film).

iii. The opportunity to translate all my dialogues (including voice-over) from English to Hindi (into a Lakhnawi dialect).

iv. Riveting action scenes.

Furthermore, since the film is an amalgamation of a father-son conflict, a young love story, and a surprisingly violent thriller, I truly got to showcase my range in the drama, romance, action, and psychological thriller genres. It was an honor to play the lead in this holistically entertaining, socially relevant, and all-round bombastic feature.

Secondly, quite simply, the film is a masterpiece. Thrilling, sensitive, eerie, hilarious, all in one package. And that is accomplished by the work of an extraordinary crew – supremely confident direction, gorgeous cinematography, genius production design, masterful screenwriting; every department deserves kudos.

Thirdly, the production was DIFFICULT.

We shot all the way in Lancaster, which meant daily early morning and late night drives to and back from set, and everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Punctured tires, abysmally challenging weather conditions, a constant race against time – you name it.

However, this tested our will and perseverance to the limit. No matter what happened, there was no doubt we’d get through it. Shirtless bathing scenes in the chilling, teeth-shattering Lancaster nights? Check. 3 AM make-up call for an 9 AM dance sequence on a whimsically uneven terrain that would gas out the best of athletes? Check. A scene meant for a warm sunny day being shot in a sandstorm instead? Check. In fact, we decided it would elevate the conflict of the scene, and that set the tone – one of excitement.

Not only were we determinedly positive, but going through this experience together bonded us like a family. And I, personally, was able to deliver my 100% despite all obstacles, because of the constant love and encouragement I received in return.

Hari Iyer, our visionary director, was a beacon of strength, resilience and positivity despite everything – all the aforementioned hurdles – and it was an honor to simply observe this genius at his craft.

For these reasons, Lotus is and always will be an incredibly meaningful project to me.

2. Are We Still Friends (AWSF), a story about a young man, Scott, badly struggling to move on from the trauma of his breakup.

I played Parker, the second lead and Scott’s best friend, mentor in matters of love/”love guru”, the Ryan Gosling to his Steve Carrell (Crazy Stupid Love) or the Will Smith to his Kevin James (Hitch).

There are several reasons it’s so special to me.

Firstly, and frankly, Indian men don’t usually get cast as characters this cool. We’re usually the comic relief and not even in a tasteful way, the “joke” is the “funny accent”, the strangeness, the awkwardness, the lack of rizz and the hilarity that ensues consequently.

Parker is the opposite – he IS “the guy” – the suave, sexy, charismatic smooth-talker, delivering monologues across montages, suited and booted.

Secondly, I worked extremely hard on my preparation for this character AND to get this role. AWSF was a passion project one of my peers from my college’s film cohort, and more than half the cohort was part of the crew, doing their best to bring it to life. However, most of the actors were not from my college.

Parker, by default, wasn’t written for someone like me. However, I took it as a challenge – can I evoke the sincere emotions and investment from the audience that the quintessential American leading man would be able to do? Does the audience actually see me in Parker’s shoes? Am I getting authentic reactions of laughter, awe, and concern as I tell his story? Lastly, and most importantly, if I’m doing all of this right, is the audience willing to still accept me, an Indian man, in the role that’s usually suited for non-Indian-actors?

I auditioned, in-person, thrice. Furthermore, I brought changes of clothes and sent pictures of me in them, in advance, to the director, to best understand what Parker would wear in which scene, and why. I wanted to show up AS Parker to each audition, not an actor trying to get the part.

After the last take of the last audition (the only one he recorded on his phone), the director casually mentioned that he wished I’d sent in an audition tape so it’d be easier to share with the rest of the crew.

Immediately, I told him that I could still do it but he insisted that it was only a note for next time, not to worry! He’d seen my performance and recorded just enough – that would be sufficient.

As soon as I left, heart racing, I realized that to give myself the best shot at this, I NEEDED to record myself in front of a camera as well to showcase how I interact with it.

I spent the next two hours recording the audition and sent it to not only him but also the others involved in casting. No half measures.

Within 2 days, I had the role.

With 2 weeks to go for the shoot, I made another decision – to look as good as possible in front of the camera. Why? Because this was probably the first time CSUN had an Indian man playing a role like this (Hollywood-lead “type”) in their films. Therefore, I understood the crucial importance of this rare opportunity. I’d never seen South-Asian representation THIS cool in any American student film, period, let alone at CSUN. It was clear – I had to get in the best shape I could.

So I cut out all carbs, start fasting, running, and lifting weights every day, and shopped at multiple thrift stores, all over LA, for clothes and accessories to look my very best and do Parker justice.

In any spare time I had, I’d rehearse Parker’s lines, and map out his motivations and background. By the end, my copy of the script was filled to the brim with exciting ideas.

Lastly, the shoot itself was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had on a film set. Since I’d already done all my base prep, I was now able to build on top of that and have fun improvising and spitballing with my co-actors, Throughout, I was getting such amazingly positive feedback – genuine laughter, pats on the back, and thumbs-ups – that I remember being constantly energized and raring to go.

I have to give MAJOR props to my director, Max Tepper, for having so much faith in me and working diligently with me to create this awesome character. He gave me some of the most insightful feedback I could’ve asked for. I’m also certain this is one of favorite crews I’ve ever worked with.

I’m hopeful that Parker from Are We Still Friends is the first of many traditionally “not-Indian” characters that I’m able to bring to life on screen because this film gave me the confidence that I can, in spades.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

“Beta, go perform for uncle-aunty!”, “Go up onstage and ask the choir if you could sing after them!”, “tell the teacher tomorrow that you want to read the class one of these short stories you’ve written!”.

These were the suggestions I commonly heard from my parents, when I was a little kid.

From an early age, I was bouncing off the walls with energy. And my outlet was creativity. When my parents would have arguments, I’d break the tension and make them burst into laughter by dressing up as a superhero (in my mom’s clothes and makeup) and interrupting them to perform my monologues. Soon, they realized that I was very much an entertainer.

And so, from my childhood all the way till 12th grade, I grew my identity as the entertainer. I was the the singer, impressionist (mimicking my classmates’ favorite actors and if the teachers allowed it, mimicking other teachers!), comedian… anytime our classes would have some “down time”, my teachers and my peers alike would ask me to perform. So shy as I was in other ways, such as in talking to girls, I was never shy being a showman.

My parents fostered my creative abilities and enrolled me in the National School of Drama in New Delhi and Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares alike. Both had a major role to play in my artistic development.

Grades 9-12 (High school theatre experiences)

In Grade 9, I auditioned for and got selected to be a part of my high school’s theatre club, Expressions, of which I soon became the Director and eventually, in 12th grade, President. This 4-year-experience was absolutely magical. Although we technically had a teacher supervisor, Expressions was run primarily by the students.

The students in leadership positions – directors and assistant directors – of each grade would be responsible to teach and lead their own batch mates as well as their juniors. As someone entrusted with leadership positions twice (Director in grade 10 and President in grade 12), I taught what I’d learnt from my seniors to my batch mates and juniors.

And what did I learn to teach? Well, everything! Writing plays, writing and performing our own jingles (songs), conducting workshops, exploring socially relevant ideas in compelling, entertaining yet sincere plays, conflict resolution within the team, scouting competitions, signing up for them and competing our way to victory! Most importantly, how to accomplish all of this by bouncing ideas off each other and brainstorming.

Being a part of a truly autonomous student-run organization like Expressions was a great course in self-sustenance, leadership, and being a good student. There was so much creativity, so many original scripts, songs, and dance choreographies being made by bouncing ideas off one another constantly that it truly laid the foundation for my ability as a holistic performer and to eventually write and direct films.

Post high-school -> My 2 gap years

Right after graduating high school in May 2016, I was on my path to pursuing engineering like my father and older brother before me. Even though my parents were well aware of my deep passion for acting and storytelling, in our entire family, no one had ever seriously considered entering any field other than engineering or medicine.

I was scheduled to fly out to the States in the Fall, and yet, all my time from May till August end was not at all spent on preparation for a new chapter in my life as an engineering student. On the contrary, it was spent on acting – this time, for film. This led to a love of writing and directing films and come August 2016, my parents knew all too well that I was hooked onto storytelling via filmmaking, for good.

It wasn’t easy, but after many discussions, my parents finally allowed me to pursue acting/film instead of engineering. I took a gap year and obsessively and relentlessly did as much creative work as I possibly could – acting in shorts, advertisements, and a feature film alike, making original music, and writing/directing short films to tell stories that I deeply cared about, learning skills like video-editing and music production, and more! I found my voice as a storyteller. That gap year became two and a half. I worked even more, even harder.

Some examples of my work:

i. Walking Home, a psycho-thriller centered around a break-up in the setting of a cold, dark, dangerous Delhi night. Written, directed, produced.

The film’s core was the emotional separation of two former lovers intermingled with the eerie danger of Delhi nights. It was both a social commentary on women’s safety in Delhi and a vessel for me to creatively explore the psycho-thriller genre by using the slightly gothic, eerie look of Delhi winter itself as a character in the film, as well as allusions to western myths like the Slender Man as the manifestation of our protagonists’ fears…

Walking Home was selected for screenings at several local and international festivals, and our extraordinary lead, Shivangi Bharadwaj, bagged a Best Actress award as well.

ii. Kuch Baatein: A story of an estranged father-son relationship in which I acted as the lead and wrote a poem, in Hindi, that was deeply personal to me, entitled “Ujaale Ka Darr” (Fear of the Light). Co-written, lead actor.

iii. Manta: A troubled young man stuck in a cycle of self-loathing and escapism – trying hard to undo his weight gain through intense exercise and discipline but constantly escaping into his junk food and porn addiction.

Finally, it was in December 2018 that I finally flew out to officially study Film Production in the U.S. in December 2018.

2019-Present: Life in the U.S., My Goals / What Sets Me Apart / What I’m Most Proud Of

I studied Film Production in 3 different colleges – Columbia College Chicago, City College of San Francisco, and finally, I graduated Magna Cum Laude this May, from Cal State Northridge. What I’m more proud of, however, is the work I’ve done, its impact on those around me, and the creatives I’ve befriended.

During my time in the U.S., I have realized my purpose through my art form. I can best elaborate it in three points:

1. Changing the South Asian Male Narrative:

I want to change the representation of minorities, particularly the South Asian male, on screen. This year, I gave myself a challenge – to audition for the most “American” sounding characters I could possibly try for, and get those roles based on merit. I realized that these characters weren’t particularly written for me in mind but if I could bring them to life in a way that made the audience feel like “he was made for this role”, they would create new perceptions of the South Asian man.

And so, I bagged roles like Erik the F-boy in a comedy, Parker the charismatic mentor in a drama-comedy, Connor the bratty but bold leader of his anti-establishment friend group in a dystopian reality, and when I got them, I gave them my ALL. I saw each of these roles as a protest against the “Indian man” stereotypes that have inundated American screens for so long!

Before long, through word of mouth, other filmmakers started reaching out to me for even more characters that weren’t the typical Indian man stereotype; far from it. These were fleshed out, nuanced characters that they didn’t think twice about casting an Indian man for. Right now, I’m booked for two roles – Ben and Jack – in separate short films.

It’s super cool that I can get an equal shot at playing these roles by giving it my all and it’s made clear to me that I want to write compelling characters for minorities as well.

2. Bringing Indian stories to a global audience

Hollywood is a universal industry, American films are watched by the entire world. That’s what so cool about pursuing film and being in Los Angeles – it gives me a platform to reach a vast number of people, the entire world, with my stories.

I believe that Indian mythologies like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, Indian folklores and folktales, and the experiences of Indian people in the United States alike provide for some truly enthralling, riveting stories. It’s just high time that filmmakers and actors brought them to life for people to experience!

One of my proudest achievements, as an actor, is the feature film LOTUS by Hari Iyer – a riveting thriller about the complex relationship between two lonely souls – a Shaman and his disciple – far away from their homeland, India, seeking refuge in Los Angeles and united by their shared devotion for Lord Krishna.

3. Mass entertainment, family/event movies

Films and shows like It’s A Wonderful Life, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Titanic, Hamilton, and Bollywood films like DDLJ, Om Shanti Om, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and Kaho Na Pyaar Hai have always had a profound impact on me.

It’s a rare, invaluable skill to tell stories that bring the world together. Families huddled around the TV at dinner time, or packed theatre halls full of excited audiences, laughing, sobbing, and feeling every emotion in between together, as a community.

That large-scale, holistically entertaining style of storytelling holds a special place in my heart and it drives me, both as an actor (to be a triple-threat, all-round entertainer), and as a filmmaker. One of the reasons I’m so proud of LOTUS is how much I got to sink my teeth into – the genres of drama, action, romance, and psycho-thriller, and skills like ballet and bharatnatyam…

In conclusion, with all my training and experiences, I want to represent minorities (particularly the South Asian male) better on-screen, bring Indian stories to universal limelight, and tell all-round, holistically entertaining movies that bring joy to the masses!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I will answer this question literally and figuratively.

Literally, first. I wish I knew how many mentors I always had access to. There’s a phrase I often use to describe how to take action – “go full Kobe”. When it comes to asking for help, go full Kobe. Kobe Bryant was known for persistently reaching out to anyone and everyone he felt he could learn from and when they would, in fact, give him some knowledge to start with (such as books to read), he would devour those books and reach back out with meticulously noted follow-up questions. This helped him form lifelong mentor-prótége relationships with the best of the best.

There’s something deeply admirable about someone with such a quest for knowledge and I have learnt, personally, that calls for mentorship seldom go unanswered. It is so important to be bold and simply ask for what you need. I’m deeply grateful that my parents encouraged me to practice that muscle from such an early age.

Those who came before me, in my field, the actors, artists, triple-threats, stage and screen actors alike, my professors, and everyone who I always aspired to be like, are aching for disciples, for protégés. They WANT to help. I wish I had the confidence and the awareness earlier on to know that it is not only possible, but also probable that if I were to sincerely and persistently ask for knowledge and guidance, I would get it.

I finally understand this now and it makes the journey so much smoother.

Now, the more figurative answer. I wish I knew that the best resources that I have as an artist are the truths I’m trying to hide. My receding hair, not-so-amazing facial features, embarrassing to admit desires (including sexual, hedonistic, and materialistic), personal stories of facing and overcoming abuse, and even my negative/corrosive feelings (as long as I’m self-aware), childhood experiences, near death experiences… these are highly personal stories that I always tried to hide away in trying to construct the ideal, aspirational “film hero” that I always wanted to be.

To be very honest, this is something I still struggle with. As a model, I keep myself in the best shape I can and I love the aspirational side of being an on-screen “film hero”. However, I’m definitely understanding better, by the day, Martin Scorsese’s famous words on creativity, “the most personal is the most creative”. The more personal and specific I allow myself to be in my stories, oddly enough, the more creative AND universal my films/performances turn out to be.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

To live so many lives in one lifetime. Research. Losing yourself in the life of another. Creating something that will live on forever and handing it over to others, for now it is as much theirs as it is yours.

With a creative mind, the proclivity to want to do it all, experience it all, live it all, is inevitable. I want to be as great of a painter as a pianist as a neuroscientist as an architect as a chef… it irks me to know that I can’t possibly do all of these masterfully in one lifetime, but it brings me so much joy to know that I have such LOVE for all of these arts. I love life, I love people, and as an actor, what I’m most grateful for is that it’s my job to learn as much about the world as I possibly can for I’m entrusted with telling its stories in authentic, compelling, engaging ways.

And as someone who cannot do less than 100% when he commits to a project, you bet I’ve learnt plenty this year alone about the human condition, and skills such as bharatnatyam, ballet, piano, and hoola hooping. Not to mention baking but that’s more to do with the fact that I love bringing food for my crew!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @avikpandey
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@avikoflife2002
• Website:  avik-pandey.com

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