An Indian In Hollywood

My father was a genetic scientist and I became a writer and actor. I retired from the entertainment business for 22 years to raise my kids. When I came back, one of the first films I did was a short with Koushik Chattopadhyay. Ironically, it was called JunkDNA. My father was very ill at the time of shooting and I would go from the set to his hospital bedside regaling him with stories. It's a rare breed -- to be a scientist and a filmmaker. So, I sat down with Koushik (we call him "Koosh") to ask him a few questions...

How did you decide to become an actor coming from a science background?

I have always wanted to become a professional actor since my childhood. But growing up in India, we had a huge amount of family pressure to go for higher education. So I ended up pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Genetics. Finally, I moved to Los Angeles with a job in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as a scientist. That's when it happened. My hidden ambition and liking for the creative world wanted to set free. So I quit my job and committed myself to a life of full time acting. Just like that (laughing).

How did your life change once you became a full-time actor?

It was like being in a jungle. From a salaried employee I became unemployed overnight. Along came the hustle of finding acting jobs and the struggle of earning money. I was already married at that time. My wife had a full-time job. So running the family wasn't that tough. Although my wife hated me for quitting my job and throwing myself into uncertainty. My parents hated me for the same reason and kept trying to convince me to get back to science. I mean, they still do. I don't think they will ever stop even if I become a rich and famous actor. I was taking acting classes and improv classes, going out on auditions almost every single day. Scene rehearsals for my classes, industry meetings and workshops, theatre rehearsals, it was like going back to college all over again but with a lot more chaos.

Career-wise, did you have a smooth ride, or did you have to face challenges?

Smooth ride? Absolutely not. Right when I started acting, I was cast as a lead in a game show pilot that was almost about to be picked up by a major studio. That would have been a smooth ride. But it did not get picked up. Hustle is what gives the true personality to a character. So maybe it was a good thing that the pilot did not get picked up. Not just financially, I struggled in every aspect of my life. My relationship with my wife was under tremendous pressure due to my career choice. Initially, it took me some time to figure out how things work in the Hollywood industry. You know, that's how it is no matter what field you are in. During that initial phase I was hardly booking any jobs which made me frustrated. But I knew patience is the key in this field. So I was patient and focused on the things I should be doing as an actor like training and auditions and all that. And slowly it started to pay off. I started booking good commercials and theatrical jobs. My agent started working with more enthusiasm and a good number of people knew me in the industry.

What do you think is your special skill?

I can find humor in any situation no matter how serious it is. I have a great comedic sense and timing. A dialogue that will sound like drama in an actor's mouth, will sound funny coming out of my mouth. Also due to my long training in Yoga, my body is pretty flexible. That helps me greatly in physical comedy. I am a great fan of physical comedy and do it all the time. Comedy has set me apart from my peers in the industry.

What are the projects you're most proud of?

I was one of the series leads for a web series sitcom, "eSports: Gods of the Arena." It has a huge number of views. I am one of the leads for another comedy web-series, "Mani." I play Principal Brock in a kids' school. That's a very popular show with several million subscribers. I starred in a short film that I wrote and produced, "Junk DNA." The film received a prestigious REMI Award for "Original Comedy Short" at the highly respected World-Fest Houston International Film Festival. I also played Buddha in National Geographic's "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman."

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

I am focusing on creating my own projects of late. Currently, I am writing a "Curry Western" that I will star and produce soon. So 10 years from now, I would like to see myself starring in my own scripts and producing them. And who knows, I might be directing them as well.

What are your upcoming projects?

I am one of the leads in "F-Listers." It's a feature film. I play a character called, Kumar Kumar which is hilarious to say the least. I am very excited for this film and am confident it will do really well in the market. The film will have a theatrical release early next year.

Do you regret taking this path rather than having a regular job and living a comfortable life?

Absolutely not. It's not about money or fame or anything else. It's about your inner happiness and your satisfaction. Creating a character and a project makes me happy. I love doing this. I love waking up every morning thinking I am going to spend my entire day doing what I love. How many people are lucky enough to do that? Very few. If I have to do this all over again, I will once again choose this path of creativity and happiness.

Thank you for spending time with us today. How can our readers follow you?

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell my story to your readers. You can see my projects on my channel, www.youtube.com/indianinhollywood. You can also follow me on IG @indianinhollywood.