Akshay Oberoi : 'I Have A Thing For Negative Characters' | EXCLUSIVE

Making his Bollywood debut with Rajshri Productions' 'Isi Life Mein' in 2010, Akshay has indeed come a long way, carving a niche for himself in the industry with his strong screen presence.

New Delhi: Actor Akshay Oberoi of 'Laal Rang' and 'Gurgaon' fame is one of the most critically acclaimed actors of present times. Making his Bollywood debut with Rajshri Productions' 'Isi Life Mein' in 2010, Akshay has indeed come a long way, carving a niche for himself in the industry with his strong screen presence.

Akshay Oberoi was born and brought up in the US but has succeeded in proving his acting prowess by getting into the skin of his characters and exemplary dialogue delivery. The talented actor also bagged 'Powerhouse Performer Of The Year Award' at the Bollywood Film Journalists Awards. The versatile actor's career trajectory is dotted with series and films that have captured his experimental streak. 'Flesh', 'High', 'Illegal', 'Dil Bekaraar', 'Inside Edge Season 3', 'Pizza', 'Laal Rang' and 'Gurgaon' are a few of his projects that have witnessed his unforgettable mettle as an actor. 

In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Akshay opens up about his career, the kind of roles he prefers, his upcoming projects and much more. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

What type of roles are offered to you? 

Ever since my foray into acting, I have been offered very powerful roles. Landing up a role of a drug addict in 'Gurgaon' was an achievement as it was a very challenging role. Filmmakers and directors trust me with powerful performances. I would say I have not had a very blockbuster career but I am contended with the quality of the roles offered to me: a small town boy, a negative shady character, a die-hard romantic, etc.

What is your role going to be in 'Gaslight'?

I am essaying the role of a local prince in the thriller-drama. The film is going to be spectacular as the director gave his actors full freedom to be their creative best. I really enjoyed working with him. I also had a wonderful time working with Vikrant Massey and Sara Ali Khan. Vikrant and I have earlier worked together in 'Local Girlfriend' and 'Love Hostel'. While I and Vikrant already share a great bonding, working with Sara was an absolute delight.

Talking about your character in the upcoming social satire 'Ek Kori Prem Katha', what type of roles drive you?

My character in 'Ek Kori Prem Katha' is that of a small town boy from Uttar Pradesh. It is a very carefree and lovable character who tries to send across a very relevant and important social message.

As far as the roles that drive me are concerned, I love versatility. I have a range and I believe in displaying different parts of myself. But yes, I definitely have a thing for dark, mean and negative roles. I became an actor because I wanted to be different from what I am in real life and there's something about negative characters that is interesting and intriguing. For me, the benefit of being an actor is you get to know more about yourself. Negative taps into a part of me and drives me towards doing dark, intense films. 

Are your upcoming roles going to be any different from the ones you have essayed before? How did you prepare for diverse roles at the same time?

My role in 'Gaslight' will be very different from the ones that I have played earlier. My upcoming projects are an amalgamation of interesting roles in a social satire, a murder mystery and an action-thriller.

I am working on multiple projects at the same time and they all are very diverse from each other. But I would say that I have a God given gift of incorporating accents that helps me in gaining good command over any language and getting into the skin of the character that I portray on-screen. Along with this, I also work very hard for the same. I hire a diction coach and don't stop for a second.

With the advent of OTT, do you think actors have started getting better roles and opportunities?

Of course. OTT has been a game changer in terms of content and opportunities for actors. Digitalisation has changed the type of content the audience wants.

I would not have been here if OTT did not exist. The producers and directors know who I am because of OTT. Actors now-a-days get access to the audience because of OTT.

On the work front, Akshay will next be seen in projects like 'Gaslight' along with Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey and Chitrangada Singh, 'Varchasva' along with Ravi Kishan and Tridha Choudhary, 'Judaa Hoke Bhi' written by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Vikram Bhatt and a social satire 'Ek Kori Prem Katha'.