Abhilash Thapliyal: I am getting calls for different projects after Aspirants, which have got pushed

After tickling the funny bones of audiences as a radio jockey and comedian, Abhilash Thapliyal is currently winning praises for his portrayal of a serious UPSC teacher in the web show Aspirants, and he admits enjoying each compliment coming his way.

“It is beautiful. I am getting overwhelmed. I had heard about that feeling till now, but living it too now! I am getting a lot of messages, industry people are reverting. People are falling in love with my character, SK,” he gushes.

In Mumbai at present, the 34-year-old says the perception of him has changed as well after this show. “Even when I was doing non-fiction TV, I had done comedy shows. I was always the funny guy who had good comic timing. That was the perception of me,” he tells us.

Talking of his latest show, the actor, who made his film debut with Dil Juunglee, goes on to say, “For me to play a character like this has been a beautiful journey. Web content is popular today, but it’s all about good stories. Whether it’s films, serials or just OTT platforms, if you are telling a good story, people will consume it. A couple of days back, we didn’t know we are going into an extended lockdown, hence the show’s release was not planned. The lockdown being imposed, just happened. I was sceptical as I have never played anything like this before. People are falling in love with my character.”

After just two episodes of Aspirants so far, he has been receiving a lot of offers, but the pandemic is playing spoilsport. “Shoot kab shuru hoga, kisi ko nahi pata. Jo ho rahe the, woh push ho gaye,” he laments.

Though he understands the situation, what makes things difficult for him is the fact that his mother lives in Delhi, and he is away from her.

“I am here in Mumbai with my wife. For us to stay indoors and take care is very easy. My mother is in Delhi, so that becomes a bit concerning. She is concerned for me, it’s a a two-way thing. To make her understand ki sab kuchh theek hai and she need not worry, that becomes a problem the way news channels are portraying it. Parents get worried,” says Thapliyal.