TV actor Amith Kashyap was well settled in life as a software engineer. But following through on his childhood passion for acting, Amith quit his well-paying job. His risk paid off and Amith Kashyap was offered to play Lord Vishnu in the TV series Shree Vishnu Dashavatara, which was even made into Tamil.
But the show got canned midway, and just as Amith was left desolate, luck found him another prominent role in the tele-series Radha Kalyana on Zee Kannada. Only, this time, his role has shades of grey. Amith talks about why, despite an almost 180 degree shift in the character he plays now as compared to his first one, this role might just be one-of-a-kind on Kannada television.
God to grey
“I was fortunate to bag the role of Lord Vishnu in my debut venture. The tele-serial was made in two languages, involved the best technicians and was shot in Mumbai. But it went off air suddenly, and I was jobless. Producer Dileep Raj and the channel assured me of greater opportunities in the future. I was offered Radha Kalyana, and I’m thankful that their words came true,” says Amith.
Amith plays the role of ‘Krish’, a rich and spoiled brat in the story, a character the actor claims is the dead opposite of what he is in real life. “In fact, not many knew that it was me in the promotional videos of the serial. They realised it only when I shared it on social media,” he explains with a chuckle.
The fresh take
The actor admitted he was initially sceptical of portraying a role completely different from the ‘God’ he had played. “But it’s been a challenge and a great learning experience,” says Amith.
He’d also received negative responses for choosing to play a grey role after playing God in his first venture. “But at the end of the day, for me, it’s all about the challenges acting offers. And for someone who’s moved on from cricket to engineering and then acting, this shift from God to grey has been as much fun as it’s a learning,” says Amith, signing off.
