EXCLUSIVE: Abhimanyu Singh reveals he stopped getting work in TV after film debut, Amitabh Bachchan-Manoj Bajpayee starrer, Aks failed; shares thoughts on finally getting his “due” after 25 years
Actor Abhimanyu Singh has built a reputation for portraying intense and layered characters across Hindi, Telugu and Tamil cinema. From his acclaimed performance as Rananjay Singh, popularly known as Ransa, in Gulaal to his roles in films such as Sye, Rakta Charitra, Gabbar Singh, Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru and Devara: Part 1, the actor has taken on several challenging parts during his career.
In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Abhimanyu Singh opened up about his journey in the film industry and recalled how the failure of his debut film Aks, which completed 25 years since its release, affected his career in its early stages.
Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Aks featured Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpayee, Raveena Tandon and Nandita Das, among others. Abhimanyu revealed that the film’s failure had an immediate impact on the work opportunities coming his way.
“Yeah. It did. Matlab tab main serial wagera karta tha. Aur phir jab woh film aayi, Aks, uske baad serials mein bhi kaam milna band ho gaya, kyunki woh film flop ho gayi thi,” he said.
The actor recalled the contrast between making his debut alongside Amitabh Bachchan and subsequently finding himself without work. “Ek taraf main kahan Amitabh Bachchan ke saath kaam kar raha tha aur ek taraf reality ye thi ke mere paas dusra koi kaam nahi tha,” he said.
However, Abhimanyu did not view the setback entirely negatively. He felt that facing failure early in his career helped him understand the value of success and the importance of staying grounded.
“Lekin mujhe laga ke chalo theek hai, shuruvat mein hi jhatka mil jaye toh better hai,” he said. “Kyunki kai baar agar safalta aapko shuruvat mein mil jaati hai toh uski importance ke value aap samajhte nahi ho. Aur uss chakkar mein kya hota hai ke aap bahot badi baazi lose kar sakte ho.”
Abhimanyu Singh calls Rakta Charitra a turning point
While Aks proved to be a difficult beginning, Abhimanyu’s career took a major turn with Rakta Charitra. His portrayal of Bukka Reddy in the Ram Gopal Varma-directed film received significant appreciation, particularly in the South.
“The day it got released in down South, everybody was shocked to see my performance. Everybody loved me as Bukka Reddy. It was a very challenging role for me,” Abhimanyu recalled.
The actor said the response to the film opened up new opportunities for him in South Indian cinema. “Luckily, it opened all the doors down South. And then there was no looking back from there. It was indeed the turning point of my career,” he said.
Abhimanyu Singh admits his “talent has not been explored fully yet”
Despite his extensive work across industries, Abhimanyu believes there is still more that filmmakers can explore when it comes to his acting abilities. Addressing fans who feel that Bollywood has not utilised his talent to its full potential, he agreed with their assessment.
“Fans keep commenting. And I agree, my talent has not been explored fully yet,” he said.
The actor also pointed to his eight years of theatre experience and expressed hope that he will continue to receive more demanding roles.
“I have done theatre for 8 years. But now I am getting my due and I feel that in the future people will give me more challenging roles,” he said. “And then the penance I did in theatre as an actor will be successful.”
Abhimanyu Singh on Bollywood and South Cinema
Having worked extensively in both Hindi and South Indian films, Abhimanyu does not see a major difference between the industries today. According to him, the common factor is the passion for filmmaking.
“Not much of a difference. Because film industry is film industry and the working style is also the same,” he said. He added, “And the passion is same. People are like-minded. So, I don’t see much of a difference in South Indian films and Bollywood films now.”
Abhimanyu Singh was recently seen as Hansraj Meena in Amazon Prime Video’s Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya, with the character receiving a positive response from viewers. The series has also been renewed for a second season. He was subsequently seen in Batwara 1947, backed by Aamir Khan Productions and starring Sunny Deol. The film also marked his reunion with filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi nearly three decades after their previous collaboration.
The post EXCLUSIVE: Abhimanyu Singh reveals he stopped getting work in TV after film debut, Amitabh Bachchan-Manoj Bajpayee starrer, Aks failed; shares thoughts on finally getting his “due” after 25 years appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.