Durgesh Kumar has been acting for almost 25 years but it’s only a couple of years ago that he became a household name for the Prime Video series Panchayat. Durgesh talked to us about how playing the character of Bhushan in Panchayat changed the course of his career and what it means to him.

How has your life changed after Panchayat’s success and popularity?

Durgesh Kumar: People started recognising me. I have been getting messages from Poland, England and the US. People have been making videos of ‘Kijiye meeting meeting’ with their friends and family. I see that Indians from across the world remembered their villages through Panchayat. It has worked globally. I live in Versova and come to struggle in Aram Nagar. On my way, people take selfies and photos with me. There’s enthusiasm amongst the lakhs of actors that I live amongst in Mumbai that if Durgesh could get such an opportunity then they can too.

How does it feel to get this kind of appreciation after a long journey?

Durgesh Kumar: I have not changed because of this appreciation. I am the same actor as I was in 2001, acting in plays and receiving the audience’s applause. I am still the same but people’s perspective of me has changed. Those who know me know that I have been acting for the past 25 years. When they look at my journey, they notice that with hard work you can achieve success. For someone like me who comes from a middle-class background to get a breakthrough in the industry and get praised for your work is the ultimate success. It feels like heaven on earth.

How did you get the role of Bhushan in Panchayat?

Durgesh Kumar: Navneet Rana from Casting Bay called me to audition for the role of the photographer in Fakauli Bazaar in Season 1. A few days later, he told me that I didn’t get shortlisted for that role but asked me whether I would be up for a role which was a one-day shoot. That role was of Bhushan. I didn’t have to audition for it.

It’s good that you didn’t get shortlisted for the photographer’s role!

Durgesh Kumar: Yes. I never thought that Bhushan’s role would become so big. When talks for Panchayat’s second season started, I got to know that a couple of my friends were auditioning for Binod’s part. My friend from NSD, Mahadev, was making his audition for Binod, so I helped him. When the associate casting director from Casting Bay saw me in that video, he said, ‘Durgesh bhai, aap kyun kar rahe ho? Aapka role toh bees din ka ho gaya.’ I realised then that Bhushan’s role had become bigger. It felt very nice. After shooting for 20 days in the second season, I got to know that I’d be shooting for 28 days in the third season. It feels very nice to see that people have liked the character.

Which is your favourite scene from Panchayat?

Durgesh Kumar: My favourite scene is the first scene that I did – ‘Do bachche hai meethi kheer, usse zyada bawasir’. In a way, that scene changed my life.

What have you learnt over the three seasons of Panchayat?

Durgesh Kumar: I have realised the importance of writing. An actor alone can’t keep the audience interested in a character for three seasons. The character became popular because it was written so well.

Have you started getting better roles after Panchayat?

Durgesh Kumar: The industry people have started believing in me. Earlier, they would call me for one or two days of shoot. Now I get called for roles for which I have to shoot 10-12 days. Casting directors have seen my potential and nowadays I have started getting calls directly from production houses too.

You have played numerous small roles in your career. How difficult was it to sustain for this long?

Durgesh Kumar: It is difficult to sustain this long. I learnt acting for 12 years while I was doing theatre in Delhi. I got the role in Highway (2014) after that. I know the value of a character even if it is just a one-scene role. I always wanted to play the part well so that the director and casting director would think of me as a valuable actor and offer me bigger roles.

Director Pulkit gave me work in three films, out of which two have been released – Dedh Bigha Zameen and Bhakshak. Ashish R Shukla gave me work on four projects — Bahut Hua Sammaan, Candy, Bicchoo Ka Khel, and Ameeri with Rakul Preet Singh. So, that’s how it works – you gain the faith of casting directors and directors and then they start thinking about you for bigger roles.

You had a significant role in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway (2014). Did you feel dejected when meaty roles didn’t come your way after that?

Durgesh Kumar: Casting directors were testing me for bigger roles but I couldn’t crack those parts. They said, ‘Yaar, the producer or director didn’t like it.’ Directors didn’t like me for bigger roles but they offered me smaller roles in the same films. That way, I consider myself lucky to have even got those smaller roles because I could get a breakthrough in their group. All thanks to Mukesh Chhabra and Anurag Kashyap, who started the casting trend in Mumbai with Gangs Of Wasseypur. Otherwise, it used to be extremely difficult.

What kept you going through that phase? Any mantra for life?

Durgesh Kumar: Whenever I am confused, I call my elder brother for advice. He used to say, ‘Jo mil rahan hai, karta chal.’ When I came to Mumbai, I knew that beggars can’t be choosers.

Did you ever lose hope and want to leave Mumbai?

Durgesh Kumar: I thought of it once and went back home for six months. But my elder brother told me not to let go of my rental home in Mumbai. At home, my elder brother motivated me a lot. That’s when I got a call from director Pulkit for Bhakshak and I came back to Mumbai.

How did you land the role in Laapataa Ladies?

Durgesh Kumar: It was special because it was an Aamir Khan Productions film and Kiran Rao was directing after 13 years. I was shooting for Panchayat Season 2 when I got a call from Romil Modi’s casting team for Laapataa Ladies. I sent an audition and got shortlisted in one round itself.

Laapataa Ladies was released at theatres, so people saw me on the big screen after a long time. Their response was nice to hear. Recently, four of my projects have been released and people have been tagging me on social media for all four roles. I got a chance to show my variety as an actor. I have a limited personality but I am trying my best to show my range as an actor.

What kind of work do you want to do in the future?

Durgesh Kumar: When I decided to become an actor, I wanted to go to NSD. My elder brother told me that if I completed NSD, my life would be set. I worked hard on my acting not thinking about whether I’d be doing films or television or web series or whether I’d become popular or not. But recently, I watched the Anthony Hopkins film The Father. I want to do at least one character like that in my career.

What are your upcoming projects?

Durgesh Kumar: There’s a web series called Gangs of Ghaziabad. I am playing an important role in a Red Chillies production titled Kartavya, starring Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Mishra and Zakir Hussain. I have a role in the Rakul Preet Singh-starrer Ameeri. I have also done an independent film, Ratanpura. And I am currently rehearsing for a play by Rajat Kapur.