It has been a long wait for actor Skand Thakur to bag his first lead role. Skand, who played an important role in the Yami Gautam starrer Article 370, is all set to headline the web show Khalbali Records streaming on JioCinema. Set in the music industry, the eight-episode musical drama revolves around Raghav Rai Singh, who moves away from his set path to open a record label that prioritises the needs of musicians.

In a candid chat, Skand opened up about getting cast for the show, his role, his tastes in music, an actor’s life and more.

Can you describe the process of being cast to headline Khalbali Records?

Skand Thakur: I had multiple rounds of auditions with Devanshu Singh (director). With every round, the anticipation and anxiety increased as it was to be my first lead role. During the sixth round, which we did with hair and makeup, I thought, “This is my chance to give it everything I have... Nobody will give me a second chance.” So, from that day my mindset was like a horse’s — just heading in one direction. My only aim was to make sure that I was well-prepared.... Once I started doing workshops with Devanshu, there was no looking back.

Waiting is an integral part of an actor’s life. How did you cope with it?

Skand Thakur: Honestly, it has not been easy because, with this show, I have taken a step ahead in my life (played the lead). We finished shooting for the Khalbali Records in October 2022.

The first year was okay because I was excited about the show airing… But in the second year, the wait became tough because I'm in a profession where nobody will know you’re a working actor until they see your work. There I was, having done a good job in a big show, but nobody knew about it because it hadn’t been released. So, for them, I was still the same Skand who was looking for work. I won’t lie — it gets to you. You have to be very emotionally strong... The only way to cope with this is to be patient, keep working on yourself and your craft, and have a lot of faith in God. Now that the show is out and people are talking about it, it all seems worth it. It feels rewarding.

How have things changed for you after Khalbali Records and Article 370?

Skand Thakur: One thing that I keep hearing from people and am proud of, is that they say, “You have played totally different characters in projects.” Actors don't usually get that at the beginning of their careers, though I've been here since 2015 and it was a very long wait. In my last three projects, Khalbali Records, Article 370 and Feels Like Ishq, I played characters different from each other and the stories were different. So, it feels good when people talk to me about the graph and the variations.

What has changed is that now people know me and my work. I hope they see me in a different light and offer me different parts. The aspiration is to keep doing better and varied work.

What were your most memorable scenes to shoot?

Skand Thakur: On the first day of the shoot, I reached the set and found out we would shoot four scenes. The first scene was with Salonie Patel. It was a heavy and emotional one, where I had to cry. I asked Devanshu whether we could start with something lighter, to warm up. He said, “This is how it has been scheduled and we have to do it.” It reminded me that I’d waited eight years for this moment and now, there were no excuses. It was not a luxury — if you have to cry on the first day, cry. Whether it’s the first day or the last, when you are on set, you have a job to do. 500 people are dependent on you. So, you have to deliver.

I will always cherish my first scene with Ram Kapoor sir (who plays Raghav’s father) as well. The first scene/take I did with him was one where I gave it back to him. After my first take, he was kind enough to say good things about me. He was impressed by me for being well-prepared for the scene. I didn't fumble and there was no retake. I think that made my day. So, I’ll remember those two days from the shoot.

What personal traits did you lend to your character, Raghav Rai Singh?

Skand Thakur: Raghav is very patient, well-raised and well-spoken. During tiffs with his father, when he loses patience, something drastically wrong has to go down for him to get to that state. So, what I lent Raghav was patience. I am very patient. I don't get angry quickly. I have a lot of bandwidth for forgiving people. By playing Raghav, my level of patience has only increased. Devanshu always reminded me, “Skand, Raghav is Maryada Purushottam. You cannot lose it. Even if someone's punching you, you get up and find a solution; don’t just act out of your emotions.”

What has Raghav’s character taught you?

Skand Thakur: I have learnt from Raghav that you need to stand up at some point. There comes a point where you have to put your foot down, and you don't always have to wait till things get out of hand. It is important to point out if something is going wrong. Don't react when it's too late.

The show is about music. What kind of music did you grow up listening to and what is your current jam?

Skand Thakur: Music is the central character of Khalbali Records. There are 20 songs. Seven songs are done by Amit Trivedi sir. The rest are by Azadi Records.

As a kid, I listened to 50 Cent and Eminem, but I’ve been listening to desi hip-hop since 2013–14. This was before it became a ‘thing’ with Gully Boy — when people would make faces if I played desi hip-hop at a house party. I am a big Divine fan. Divine and Naezy opened the doors to desi hip-hop for me. After listening to their songs, I realised that people also rap in Hindi. I remember going to events where Divine was 5 feet away from me, looking around and thinking, “Why is nobody talking to him? He’s a star.”

Everyone's love and taste for desi hip-hop has grown so much now. Due credit to Gully Boy – it gave a huge push to every artist. But I feel it's just the beginning for desi hip-hop. I still keep discovering new underground artists, and they are so good. There’s Dhanji who raps in Gujarati. He's making such great songs. There’s also Prabh Deep and Seedhe Maut.

Apart from that, I'm a big Sonu Nigam fan. I love listening to his songs, especially the old Salman Khan ones. It's a different mood and world altogether. I love it.

Do you have any favourites among the 20 songs in the Khalbali Records album?

Skand Thakur: Yes. There is one song called Fatafat Naam. I listen to that song when I want to kickstart my day. Tham Ja is a beautiful song by Prabh Deep. And of course, Pyaar Besharam by Amit Trivedi and his magic. Just lovely. These songs are my top three from the album.