My journey as an actor in Hyderabad

I had always dreamed of becoming an actor, but I never imagined that I would get a chance to work with one of the most inspiring filmmakers in India. This is the story of how I landed two roles in micro films directed by Anshul Sinha, the founder of Output Media and a five-time TED speaker.

It all started when I arrived in Hyderabad from Mumbai on 22nd January, 2023. I was travelling by train with one of my friends from SRFTI, Kolkata. He was from Hyderabad and he arranged my two-day stay with his friends. Then I found a hostel at Krishna Nagar near the Yusufguda metro station. One of my friends, who is a filmmaker from Kolkata, gave me Anshul's number and told me that he works in Hyderabad. I contacted him by call and introduced myself as an aspiring actor.

Anshul was very friendly and told me that he was going to shoot a micro film for a book the next day. He said that he was looking for an actor who speaks Hindi and fits the look of the character. He asked me to send him my audition video. I quickly prepared the script with the help of one of my hostel mates and recorded my audition. I sent it to Anshul and waited for his response.

To my delight, he called me back and said that I was selected for the role. He invited me to join a Google meet with the rest of the team and discuss the details. He also asked me to meet him for the costumes. I was overjoyed and nervous at the same time

The next day, 26th January, we went to Chitra Mandir film studio, 25 km from Krishna Nagar. There I met our cinematographer Tanvir Anzum, who was also a Bengali as well. He was very supportive and gave me some tips on how to act in front of the camera. I also met my co-actor Devika Das, who was another Bengali and a multi-talented person. She was very friendly and helped me relax on the set. The main character of the film was played by a phenomenal actress, Anushree Shukla. She was amazing in her performance and made me feel like I was part of the story.

The film was about a girl who multi personality disorder written by Tulika Majumdar. Anshul directed the film with calmness and confidence. He guided me through every scene and helped me play my character convincingly. He was very patient and encouraging with me. He made me feel like I belonged on the set.

The shoot went smoothly and we wrapped up by evening. I thanked Anshul for giving me this opportunity and he told me that he was impressed by my acting. He said that he had another micro film in English language coming up next week and he wanted me to audition for an important character. He sent me the script and asked me to prepare for it.

I was thrilled by his offer and started working on the script right away. It was a challenging role that required me to speak in English. I practiced hard and sent him my audition video. He called me back and said that I got the role. He congratulated me and told me to be ready for the shoot.

The next week, we went to another studio for the shoot. The film was about a young man who has identity crisis and one day something happened and his life changed. I played an important role who reveals important aspect of lead character. The film had beautiful locations and costumes that made me feel like I was really travelling with him.

The shoot was fun and exciting. Anshul directed the film with passion and creativity. He praised my performance and said that I had improved a lot since the last film.

The last film that we worked on together was an epic micro film with a grand canvas. It was about a warrior who fights against injustice and oppression in his kingdom. It was shot where KGF and Bahubali were shot. It was an amazing real location with props that made me feel like I was in another era.

The shoot was intense and demanding. Anshul directed the film with vision and courage. He showed me how to fight with swords and shields and how to act like a brave warrior. He challenged me to give my best performance ever.

On March 18th, all three films premiered in Hyderabad with 200+ audience members. Chief guest was one of the renowned director Vijay Kumar Kalivarapu director of Jayamma Panchayathi critically acclaimed telugu film actress Suma Kanakala and music by Oscar award winner M.M. Keeravani.

They loved our projects and appreciated our work. They gave us standing ovations and clapped loudly for us. They praised Anshul for his brilliant direction and storytelling. They also praised me for my acting and said that I had a bright future in the industry.

I was overwhelmed by their response and felt proud of myself. I thanked Anshul for giving me this chance and making me a part of his films. He hugged me and said that he was proud of me too. He said that he would love to work with me again in the future.

That was the end of my journey as an actor in Hyderabad. It was an unforgettable experience that changed my life. It taught me a lot about acting, filmmaking and myself. It gave me confidence, exposure and recognition. It made me realize that dreams do come true if you work hard and follow your passion.

I hope you enjoyed reading my story. If you want to watch the films that I acted in, you can find them on Anshul's YouTube channel Output Media. You can also follow him on Instagram and Facebook to know more about his work and upcoming projects.

Thank you for your time and attention. Have a great day!

Nishant B. Kumar