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Anant V Joshi, known for 12th Fail and Kathal, talks to us about his new biopic Ajey, based on Yogi Adityanath’s life, his approach to his characters, his journey as an actor, and much more in this candid conversation!
If you’ve watched 12th Fail, you’ll remember Manoj Kumar’s friend who brought him to Delhi to study for the IAS, gave him clothes, a place to stay, and so much more. Yes, that’s Pritam Pandey, who later became a journalist to recount Manoj’s journey. He was played by Anant V Joshi, who you might also remember from another film, Kathal, where he played Mahima’s boyfriend, a junior police officer navigating the challenge of working under his girlfriend. But his breakout performance, if you’ve seen Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, was as the best friend of the self-proclaimed tragic hero Vikrant, who was just trying to have fun and chill in life. That same best friend and boyfriend, brought to life by Anant, has now grown from being the perfect supportive lead to shouldering a film entirely on his own - a biopic chronicling the life of UP CM Yogi Adityanath, tracing his journey from a small-town boy to monk to politician.
For someone like Anant, who has often been seen in lighthearted roles or as the comic relief in tense moments, this is a sharp dramatic turn. In this candid, detailed conversation, he opens up about everything - from what motivated him to take on this role, how he connected with the character to committing so fully that he even shaved his head for the film. He talks about bringing duality to his characters, even when they are in supportive roles, staying grounded as an actor after two National award-winning films, and the kind of projects he hopes to do in the future. He doesn’t hold back, giving us a peek behind the scenes of it all!
Here's what all he had to share!
When you play a real-life figure and a massive personality like Yogi Adityanath in a fictional biopic, how do you approach it? How do you deal with the pressure of embodying him, the likely controversy attached to a political figure, and the actor’s desire to find an interesting, honest character?
Honestly, whatever you just asked me were exactly my own apprehensions. The pressure, the controversy, the responsibility - these were all questions in my mind too. But then my director, Ravindra Gautam, told me something that shifted my perspective. He said,“Before you form an opinion, just read the script.”Because the Yogi Adityanath most of us know today as the Chief Minister, this film ends there. Our understanding of him begins and ends as CM, we don’t know the story before that. The film tries to explore that side of him which people have no idea about. And that in itself was very intriguing for me.
Like, when I first saw a monk becoming a Chief Minister, my immediate question was: Why would a monk choose politics and get offered a state, which is the largest state in our country with the largest population? That curiosity is what the film addresses. It’s not about his political ideology or glory, it’s about his personal, individual journey. The film looks at the incidents and thoughts that shaped him and made him who he is now. It starts from his origins - a boy from a small village in Uttarakhand who moved to the city for graduation. Then the decision to renounce the world and become a monk. And later, the decision to enter politics and eventually become such a popular Chief Minister. So once I read that journey, all my apprehensions and questions were answered. I felt reassured and, honestly, privileged to be able to play such a part.
The film traces a journey from monk to CM, and there’s also a personal connection as you’re both from Uttarakhand. But from the trailer, we see a young man willing to give up everything, even his family, to stand for what’s right. How much does that journey resonate with you as an actor - choosing the “right” roles and the sacrifices that come with them?
This is probably the best question somebody has asked me. It's so well curated because it touches on something very real. When we were shooting in a real ashram, I remember telling our director Ravindra Gautam,“Sir, do you see how close our lives are?” I came from a small town in the mountains and decided to leave everything behind to move to Bombay. Acting, for me, was never just a job or a profession, it’s a lifestyle you commit to. It’s sporadic, instinctual, and you take it on fully, in the good and the bad, for better or worse. That’s where I found the strongest connection with the story of Ajey.
For him too, it was about commitment. As the film unfolds, you see what triggered an ordinary university student to renounce the world and become a monk. Later, after becoming the Mahant of one of the biggest mutts in India, what led him to step into active politics. Each of those choices was a commitment. And that resonated deeply with me, because it’s the same for many of us who come from small towns with no filmi background. Once we decide to pursue this path, we commit to it completely, and we stick with it for the rest of our lives. That shared sense of commitment is what I carried with me into the role.
Your commitment to this role was so much that I heard you shaved your head for it?
Yes, I did. I don’t think there were any two ways about it once I stepped into the role. The production house actually had everything prepared, they had a bald patch ready for me, because that’s usually how it works when actors are juggling multiple projects at the same time. They plan for continuity. But for me, when I read the script and saw that there’s a scene where he goes through the ritual of taking sanyas, I just felt I couldn’t do that halfheartedly. I went to RG sir and said, “I don’t want to fake this, I want to actually go through it.” Because shaving your head is such an important part of that ritual, it’s not cosmetic, it’s symbolic. It represents renunciation, a complete letting go of your old identity. We shot it as a proper sequence, capturing the removal of the hair, and I think that decision made a huge difference. For me, doing it felt very authentic, very real. And from what I’ve seen, the audience has picked up on that too. They’ve responded to that rawness, it doesn’t feel staged, it feels lived. And that’s exactly what I was hoping for.
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Do you think in your filmography, this was the right time and the right film, as you’ve moved from being a support in films to now leading it?
Honestly, it feels like a privilege. A guy like me, with no filmi friends, family to back me, if someone trusts me enough to carry a theatrical film as the lead, it’s not something I take lightly. It’s a matter of prestige, but also of responsibility. And when I look back, I do feel the timing is right. All the experiences I’ve had so far have prepared me for Ajey. Working with someone like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, collaborating with Yashovardhan, and being part of the Netflix series’, each of those projects trained me as a screen actor in different ways. Because I never went to a film school.
My training was in theater, and that is a very different craft. It gives you discipline, presence, but facing the camera is a whole other learning curve. These years of experience became my training ground for a moment like this. And then, of course, it’s not just any role, it’s a biopic. Playing a real person brings a very different kind of pressure. People are going to compare what you do with the person they already know. You can’t hide behind fiction. You have to somehow capture the truth of that person without slipping into caricature or mimicry. That was a challenge, but also what made it special. So yes, I think this was the right film at the right time. And honestly, I did feel if not now, then when?
And how are you handling the pressure of the theatrical release, especially when you’re shouldering a film as the lead?
There’s a mild pressure, I won’t deny that. But I wouldn’t say I’m overwhelmed. My job as an actor is done in terms of giving my best to the role; after that, the film is in the public domain, and people will respond to it. Of course, there’s a business side to films, and I completely understand that, that’s why I want as many people as possible to go watch it in theaters. Am I taking it as pressure? Not really. I have full faith in the product we’ve made, in the sincerity I put into it, and in the attempt I made as an actor. And from what I’m seeing now, the film is doing pretty well in theaters, it’s picking up, and I believe any good project spreads by word of mouth. I’m hoping that happens with this film too. Plus, now we live in the age of Instagram, and the audience connects with you directly.
I’m getting very quick feedback from people who’ve watched it, they’re loving it, and they’re saying it’s very different from what they expected, in a good way. And yes, it’s a biopic, so depending on your political ideology, it might seem unusual but the story itself isn’t about politics. It’s about the human side - a family losing their son, the relationships impacted by his choices. It’s relatable, inspiring, and ends with him taking the oath as Chief Minister. It’s not a puff piece about Yogi Adiyanath’s political actions or events, it’s simple, heartfelt storytelling about an incredible individual journey. I mean, think about it - how many of us could even imagine taking sanyas, experiencing modern university education, and then immersing in Vedic education at a mutt? It’s such a unique journey, and I found it fascinating to bring to life. I have full faith that anyone who watches it will enjoy the story. Visually, it’s very promising too as our DOP, Vishnu sir, is a senior, experienced cinematographer, and he’s put his absolute best into making this film look amazing.
Coming out of Ajey, in 12th Fail, Pritam is both a great friend and quietly jealous of Manoj; in Kathal, Saurabh supports Mahima yet struggles with working under her because he’s a man. These are subtle, very human emotions. How did you bring out that duality when your screen time and role were primarily supportive?
I think you answered part of it in your question itself that it’s a very human emotion. I’ve always found it difficult to see characters in absolute black or white. Life isn’t like that, and I try to bring that sense of grey into my roles. That’s why I think audiences connect with the characters I play, they feel real, they feel natural. What excites me most in a character are their flaws. I don’t strive for perfection in my life, and I accept my own imperfections. Similarly, I enjoy exploring flaws in my characters. Take Saurabh in Kathal, for example. He deals with the duality of being a man working under a woman, while also navigating caste pressures, societal expectations, and more. What makes him a “winner” as a character is that he recognizes his mistakes and corrects them. That journey of acknowledgment and growth is what completes his arc.
The same applies to Pritam Pandey in 12th Fail. His insecurities lead him to certain actions, but eventually he realizes they stemmed from his own fears. In the end, he’s the one telling Manoj Kumar’s story to the audience, celebrating his triumphs in a way no one else can. Even in Ajey, the character is flawed. The writers and I wanted him to learn from his mistakes. He isn’t born with genius or saint-like energy; it’s decisions and experiences that shape him. That’s the kind of character I’m drawn to - flawed, yet willing to acknowledge mistakes and grow. I think that’s key for audiences as well because seeing a character own their errors and try to correct them is relatable but also inspiring. We’re all flawed individuals, and characters that embrace that truth and try to fix it make for stories that resonate. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging mistakes and taking responsibility for them, even if the cycle repeats sometimes. That’s real, and that’s human.
In Maamla Legal Hai and Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, you often bring laughs amidst tense moments. How difficult is it to balance comedy without going overboard and still steal the scene?
Honestly, one word comes to mind: honesty. I try to stay truthful to the moment and the scene. Comedy, for me, isn’t about exaggeration or overacting, it flows naturally from the way the character thinks and reacts. If I stay honest to the character, it rarely goes overboard. That’s something that’s really worked in my favor. Also, I follow my directors closely. There have been times I’ve made choices that didn’t quite land, but the director would step in, call cut, and guide me in a better direction. That’s part of the ease of shooting for the camera. You have that collaboration to keep things grounded. Like in Maamla Legal Hai my instinct was to make my character goofier than he ended up being. Even now, you could say he’s still goofy, but I initially pushed it too far. My director, Rahul Pandey, was very clear that he wanted the comedy to come from the most sincere place in the character’s life. Vishwas is genuinely earnest, seriously discussing even the lamest ideas. That sincerity is what makes the comedy work. Every time I veered toward exaggerated goofiness, Rahul reminded me to bring Anand’s earnestness and that guidance really shaped how I approached the role.
Since many of your roles lean towards comedy, how do you keep a light-hearted approach to work and life in an industry where success can feel so flickering?
Oh, trust me, it’s all acting that I do. I’m not naturally that lighthearted, there’s an overthinker sitting here! [laughs] I’m nothing like my characters. Everything I do on screen is guided by what’s written and how I’m being directed. Acting is a job, it’s the characters I bring to life, it doesn’t define my everyday self. That said, something I try to practice in life is not taking myself too seriously. Go with the flow, take yourself lightly. That is something that has always helped me. This profession is unpredictable, it can get dark, but I remind myself that when I committed to acting for the screen, it was like getting a tattoo on your face, something that you live with. There’s no Plan B. I never had one. It was a choice I made, and I’m completely okay with it. And now the feedback I get now, seeing audiences respond to my work, that's a constant motivation. Whether it’s Pandey, Saurabh,Mamla Legal Hai, or now in Ajey, seeing people feel something through my characters drives my happiness. This is literally the only thing I’ve ever imagined for my life. Main bachpan se hero banna chahta tha, yeh woh sapna hai jo ab poora ho raha hai. Even my parents, childhood friends, everyone who saw me growing up, they admire this journey because I am doing what I always wanted to do. I feel extremely privileged and lucky to be living a dream I’ve had since I was a kid.
12th Fail and Kathal, both films you’ve been a part of, are National award winners. Does that change something for you like an added burden in terms of making choices now?
Yeah, I think the choices one makes do shift after every project’s success. I’d say yes, because the audience now has certain expectations, they expect you to deliver. But honestly, I haven’t really submitted to that pressure yet. There’s so much more I want to do. I’ve been very lucky. After Cobalt Blue, which was my first Netflix film, I did Kathal, my second film, which was so loved and won a national award. Then my first feature film, 12th Fail, also blew up and won a national award. So my initial projects have been really well-received. But I still have so much hunger. I feel like I’ve just started. I totally understand that once you become part of such acclaimed projects, audiences begin expecting more from you, they expect something better every time. I get that, but I haven’t let that pressure weigh on me yet.
While audiences have expectations, what about your own? What kind of work excites you the most going forward?
I really want to be part of storytelling that explores complicated human emotions. We often see very universal emotions like love, absolute hatred, or straightforward romance. But I’m excited by stories that are more complex, subtle, and sometimes reflect experiences that not many people go through. For instance, Neeraj Ghaywan’s work is incredible as he focuses on sections of society and people whose lives we mostly ignore. Vishal Bhardwaj does that beautifully as well. I want to be part of projects like that, where characters evolve gradually, discovering their identity or agency along the way. I think audiences connect with that journey too because we all go through it, finding oneself, becoming who we are, and continuing to grow. That “work in progress” is what makes characters relatable and inspiring, and that’s the kind of storytelling I want to be part of.
Which character played by Anant V Joshi is yours favorite? Tell us in the comments below!
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