He is a young mainstream actor whose first two films are on Netflix as we speak, yet he isn’t in the spotlight as much as other actors of his age whose careers are yet to take off. That’s Abhimanyu Dassani -- pleasantly unassuming, charming and very real.

At first glance, you might wonder what’s so special about him. But when you watch him closely, you know that Abhimanyu is here to surprise. After Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Meenakshi Sundareshwar, his third film Nikamma is finally up for release on June 17 after a two-year pandemic-induced wait. Nikamma, which also stars Shirley Setia and Shilpa Shetty, is an action comedy that seems to be right up Abhimanyu’s alley, going by his last two performances.

A brave, out-of-the-box debut

Given that Abhimanyu is a star kid – he’s the son of Maine Pyar Kiya actress Bhagyashree – choosing writer-director Vasan Bala’s Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota as his debut film was a very unconventional move.

Abhimanyu gave close to three years to Bala to co-create the unique, action-comedy universe of Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, where he plays Surya, who has a rare disorder of congenital insensitivity to pain. The performance bagged Abhimanyu the Best New Young Actor trophy at the 2018 International Film Festival & Awards, Macao, and Star Debut of the Year at the IIFA Awards in 2020.

Despite a warm response at the film festivals, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota didn’t do well at the box office when it was released in March, 2019, partly owing to the limited number of shows it got because of an issue between the producer and multiplex owners. A section of viewers felt the film wasn’t ideal for a theatrical release.

Many of us who have since tuned in to Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota on Netflix have watched it a couple of times more, just to soak in the experience. The best part is that Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota ends with a hint of a sequel, with hopes for a desi superhero franchise.

Effortlessly Effortless

In his second film, the romcom Meenakshi Sundareshwar co-starring Sanya Malhotra, we got to see a completely new side of Abhimanyu. He’s Sundar, a shy, young coder who gets into a long-distance marriage with Meenakshi, and juggles conjugal life, family interference and work stress.

Abhimanyu made us fall in love with Sundar. From a newly-wed building a relationship with his wife to the anxiety of a young professional, Sundar is real and relatable as the guy-next-door who’s a mix of vulnerable charm and simplicity.

His next release after Nikamma is Aankh Micholi, directed by Umesh Shukla and co-starring Mrunal Thakur.

Off the screen, Abhimanyu surely knows how to raise the bar. His Instagram feed is a mix of professional and personal milestones, along with a peep into his world of fitness motivation.

His actress mother is also always spotted promoting his films. Recently, his sister, Avantika, debuted in Mithya, a web series streaming on ZEE 5.