Ankit Bathla - The First Thing to Do to Pursue Acting or to Enter This Industry Is Get a Good Photographer and Prepare Themselves Get a Good Portfolio Done (Indian Actor)

Success is always being that keep moving forward no matter in what direction but what's important is to believe that you can do something more and extra today than what you have done before yesterday and the second thing is that I always try and read the critics

1. Tell us about your background and journey, and your dream of being an actor?

I am an economics honour graduate from Delhi and I've done my MBA in marketing and finance as a child the first dream that I had was of being an actor and that's prominent because my Dad was the voice of Yuvani radio for a long time that's how I probably think it's got into the genes. I remember the first area of choice I always wanted to pursue was acting. Coming from a school that has given me a lot of exposure in terms of acting and other extracurricular activities it's kind of framed away I am today. I think the theatre I did was at Shri Ram Centre and LTG under the edges of Mr K.S Kelsey was an eye-opener for me and maybe dive down into various characters.

I was working with American Express when I was in Delhi and while doing the regular college and then I would go into theatre as well so that's how my journey was in Delhi. But once on the 15th of August, I had to run away from my house and come to Mumbai that's because my mom wanted that me should continue with my job and call of being a stable profession but I'm very happy that I took that leap of faith and I could most coupon pay and then finally do what I love to do.

2. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an actor?

I think it really depends on the vision and also the belief in yourself. Today we have so many professions and each profession are equally good in terms of payments in terms of many exposures and all of that and the growth that is personal development. There are a lot of career choices today and many of them that we're not even like.

I'm not even aware of so many choices but I think what's important is to believe in yourself, be wise and take up a decision to the best of your ability but having said that you, of course, can make a decision which is not so great so the important part is to keep moving forward one step at a time no matter what direction is that's how one should do focus on being an actor or being any other profession, most important is to believe in yourself and then you should have will to move forward.

3. If not this, what would you be doing?

I would be a chef because I love to cook and more than that I love to feed people. I a big foodie all my fans know that. People like to eat to live but I think I live to eat that makes it very tough for me as well because I need to kind of be in shape being an actor but yes if not an actor, I would definitely be a chef and open maybe a cloud kitchen or my restaurant.

4. For a complete outsider with inroads, what advice would you like to give?

Things have changed now although acting is not an unorganized sector like many other jobs like employment and stuff like that so you can send your CV and put it on monster.com. However, there are coordinators and casting directors. The first thing that each one who wants to pursue acting or to enter this industry should do is do the homework in terms of a good photographer prepare themselves get a good portfolio done and then send it across to as many people as they can it's very available on Instagram Facebook.

I think the digital world has opened area of opportunities where people can send in their videos as snap chat as YouTube where you can create auditions and send them to send people links so I think that's how is the perfect start would be to prepare yourself and then dive in into a good portfolio.

5. What is your mantra of success?

I always try and understand this saying of course a lot of times it just hates when a lot of time it also makes a lot of sense it helps me keep grounded so it's really important for me to you know to be grounded and that's what my parents want to do kind of make sure that I stick to the ground and keep focusing on my career and you know to keep moving forward.

6. Which is your favourite book and why?

My favourite book is Ikigai and that's because it gives you a great insight about what is passion what is it that you want to do in your life and it's I think a great insight about how one can deep lead a contented happy life other than that I read a lot of books on Buddhism because I am an art and follower of Buddhism. I read a lot of the books which our mentors have written about their lives in about how an ideal way of living should be.

- Ankit Bathla (Actor)