#KetchupTalks: 'Working with Manoj Bajpayee was like a masterclass', says Gram Chikitsalay fame Akash Makhija

Actor- voice-over artist Akash Makhija won over the audiences with his comic timing as Gobind in Prime Video’s Gram Chikitsalay. So we sat down with the actor and delved deeper into the show, his character, and his journey so far!

Akash Makhija’s nuanced portrayal of the adorable Gobind in Prime Video’s Gram Chikitsalay has been receiving significant acclaim. He is an actor and voice-over artist who seamlessly blends into diverse characters and leaves a lasting impression on the audience. A Mumbai native, Makhija's dedication to his craft is evident in his intense preparation for roles, details of which he has shared in this conversation. Beyond Gram Chikitsalay, he has impressed audiences with his roles in Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi, Bhool Chuk Maaf, and Bhaiyya Ji, showcasing his versatility across films and web series. 

In this interview, Makhija takes us through his experience of doing Gram Chikitsalay, his journey in the entertainment industry so far, and what lies ahead for him. 

Also Read: #KetchupTalks: "Music is a part of me without which I cannot physically live," says singer-songwriter Sukriti Bhardwaj

Here’s what he had to say!

Your role as Gobind in Prime Video’s ‘Gram Chikitsalay’ has been receiving a lot of love. Tell us about your experience of doing the show, especially filming it in rural settings and all that went behind preparing for this character?

The experience was amazing and I’ve previously done Nirmal Pathak, which was also in the rural setting. I'm from Mumbai, an urban kid who was playing a boy from Bihar, Gobind, so for such characters, I like to prepare in a certain way before heading to the shoot. For this show, I was on set a week ago before I started to shoot so that I get a feel of the rural setting and my character. We shot the show in Chhattisgarh, and we were staying in Rajnand gao. We used to travel every day in the morning for 1.5 hours to reach this beautiful village called Khotia where the filming took place. To catch the nuances of Gobind’s character I used to talk to the villagers and observe their mannerisms. It's more about silence in the villages so, I had a ball, living that life, speaking to a lot of villagers, and getting to know about their lives. It's much more calm, much more peaceful. Also, Gobind is a very positive character so I tried convincing myself to believe that I'm part of that village, and changed my thinking process as required for the show. So, yes I was very confident that I would pull this off and I gave my blood and sweat for this, and the experience was amazing.

A lot of the show's comedy relies on your camaraderie with Amol Parasher and Anandeshwar Dwivedi. Tell us how was it like building that chemistry?

I had a lot of fun shooting with Amol and DVD sir (Anandeshwar Dwivedi). I had no idea about both of them prior to the show, but when I met them, I felt like I am meeting my boy school friends because we had a ball shooting together. We used to make those boys' school jokes, and it was all banter. We all come from different backgrounds. Amol is an IITian and  Anandeshwar who is playing Phutani, is from Bihar and I'm from Maharashtra. We also have an age difference, but we all gelled up as if we all are from the same class and are one of those back-backbenchers. I just can't wait to work with them over and over again. I can't wait for season two of the show. The three of us and my director, Rahul Pandey, had a ball on set. We pulled a lot of pranks. It was a fun learning experience. Both of them are super talented and like I mentioned before since Anandeshwar sir is from Bihar, he helped me correct my dialect and pronunciations.

What do you hope to get out of this show? What do you hope the show’s popularity will earn you as far as your career is concerned?

I feel everything, apart from what is not in my hands, is a byproduct of this field. I can do my best. If the show works, which I can proudly say it has, it was trending number one in India, then I hope I'll get as many (work) calls as I can. At the same time, I believe if it's in my destiny, I'll get the part. I just give my blood and sweat. I work hard as an actor. Characters like Gobind or Hamid Ansari from Bhool Chuk Maaf, fill my creative thirst more than the popularity. Everything else is a byproduct, I don't live for that. I live to work as an actor, I just want to keep working. That's it. I don't care if the popularity comes or not. Infact, you are fresher when you're not popular, people look at you as a character rather than seeing an actor. So I'm fortunate enough, to play different characters with different looks. Also, I'm doing another show for Amazon Prime, and I'm in a completely different look there. So no one will recognize me because Gobind looks completely different from what I'm doing right now. Having said that, I'm receiving a lot of calls from casting directors and directors, and I'm very thankful about it.

In Bhool Chuk Maaf, your portrayal of Hamid Ansari was described as having a quiet presence that added depth to the film’s narrative. How did you approach bringing this character to life in a fantasy romantic comedy setting?

Hamid, as a character, is heartbroken. And, I was broken at that time in my personal life because I lost a loved one, so I could resonate a lot with Hamid, and my character was completely different from the story. Ranjan's and Titli's story was on one side and Hamid's on the other. He was a plot changer, a plot shifter, in the whole film. So it was fun. I had bottled up the emotions I was experiencing and in a way God gave me the opportunity to express that out. I could feel Hamid Ansari and, I'm hoping, people can feel, what I did with my art on the screen.

Working alongside Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Bhaiyya Ji’ must have been a significant experience. What was it like collaborating with him, and how did it influence your performance?

I always say that I never considered Bhaiyya Ji as a film, but as my acting project. I feel I was part of a big event like Manoj sir’s 100th film and was playing his younger brother. It was madness, what else could I have asked for? I had started auditioning in 2012 and it was a dream to work with Manoj Bajpayee. There was so much to learn on set, how he rehearsed before every scene, how he gives his 100%, even in the rehearsals. It's not even as if he is just saying his lines. He is saying it with emotions. We did a lot of improvisation on set, and he told me, Akash, be as natural as you can. I would share my ideas and he used to tell me “Tu karna, main tujhe khud response dunga.”. It was like a masterclass, as if I'm attending a workshop at the same time and also getting paid for it. So I consider it as a life event rather than my acting project.

You’ve worked across diverse platforms, from television to films to web series like State of Siege- 26/11 and High. How do you adapt your acting approach for these different formats?

As an actor, you need to have your tools. Every actor has their tools. For me, I feel my eyes are very expressive. I can also do voice modulation. And apart from that, I’ve learned a lot of dialects. For example, in State of Siege, I was playing a terrorist, who is from Pakistan, and they speak Punjabi. So, as a kid, I had a lot of Punjabi friends and I used to observe, their dialect and speak it. I also rehearse a lot so I got a strong hold over the dialect. In High, I was playing a drug addict who was in rehab. He was an urban boy, who used to stay in Bandra and I am from Mumbai too, but I've never been a drug addict. So, how do you do that? I observed these drug addicts, especially when they go completely crazy and lose out and tried mirroring the same on screen. So acting is more of observation, you see those people in front of you. My approach also includes finding the sound of the character. So that’s the first thing that I do, then picking the body language, based on the setup he's in.

Tell us about your stint as a voice-over artist and some of the exciting projects you have been part of?

I almost became a Radio Jockey, back in 2019, when I had no work, I had applied for Radio Mirchi, and they were offering me an OB job first, and then, they wanted me to work with RJs on the scripts.  And then later on, they would have given me my time. But, in the meantime I got an acting project. So RJ Mantra, who is a friend of mine, told me, Akash, if you're doing radio just because you don't have acting work, don't do it, because you can't be doing that as a backup. He started a production house called MnM Talkies, and that's how I became a voice-over artist. He told me that they are making an audio show, and they want to audition me for that. I auditioned for it and my first show was with none other than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan called Kali Awazein, It's available on Amazon Audible. And later on, I did multiple shows on Spotify. I've given voice in several ads and I've dubbed for a lot of animated films. So that's how my voice acting journey started. It helps a lot as an actor too, because when you are dubbing in a studio, in front of the mic, you know exactly what pitch you are talking at, your voice shouldn't be cracking with the wisp and you need to have good control over your breath. So that’s how I learned a lot and it helped greatly as an actor.

Are there specific genres or roles you’re eager to explore next in your career?

I want to do a love story. I'm a very romantic person. I am a very expressive person. I know how to express myself and know how to emote those emotions. I got engaged recently and my partner keeps telling me that, ‘Akash, you're a very expressive boy’, and I know that feeling, but I’m yet to do that genre. So if any director or any casting director is reading this, please, cast me in a love story.

Having worked in both mainstream cinema and OTT platforms, how do you see the Indian entertainment industry evolving, and how do you think it will benefit the actors?

A lot of actors have gotten rebirth after OTT. I feel actors like me who wanted a stage to showcase their talent, got it through OTT and, I feel we are still evolving because there's a lot of content being made, but then, the attention span has reduced a bit because there is a lot which is out there. You watch a show in 10 minutes. If you like the show, you'll watch it or you just switch it off and you go on to another show. So, what happened in the last few years is that, suddenly a lot of shows are being made but very limited ones work. So I guess we are still trying to gauge the Indian audiences as to what they like and what they want. The TV industry already knows what is working because it's been made for a long time. OTT just came in the last decade in India and I  guess we are still, trying to find what our audience is like, but for actors, it's a blessing. I've been doing OTT shows left, right, and center. So, yes, there's a lot of benefit for actors. Like, 6-7 years ago, it was very important to look in a particular way for a movie. But I guess in OTT,  It doesn't matter if you're dark or fair, It doesn't matter if you're lanky or you're fat. Everyone will get work if they constantly audition for it, it's all about, how consistent you are.OTT has a lot to offer.

What’s next for you after your 2025 releases? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited to share?

Yes, there are three projects I can talk about right now. One, I can only say it's for Amazon Prime because I've signed NDA. It's gonna come next year and I'm very sure that I'll surprise everyone with it. And then there is Anand L Rai's Nakhrewaalii which has already been announced, which will release anytime soon. Then there is one with the late director Sangeeth Sivan, which is called Blind Game. It's with Arjun Kapoor and Priyamani and is a suspense thriller. So I'm glad that I'm, part of so many different genres, and I'm sure people will love it. So I'm still waiting for them to release.

Which is your favorite performance of the actor? Let us know in the comments below!

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