Character Edge
Abhishek Banerjee has a knack for telling gritty, real-life stories with the ease of someone who may have lived to tell the tale. His performance as the ruthless, cold-blooded hitman Hathoda Tyagi in Pataal Lok Season 1 continues to be a talking point among viewers. He is back on screen in the edgy thriller Stolen, inspired by the horrific Karbi Anglong lynching event of 2018, in which two men were brutally killed after being falsely accused of child trafficking.
The film, which marks the directorial debut of Karan Tejpal, had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2023. Two years after being screened at international film festivals, it has finally released on Prime Video.
“The film was pitched to me as a road action movie, which they wanted to shoot in a single take. I thought that was rather ambitious, since it is not an easy feat to pull off. But the story was very exciting. I like experimenting with genres and styles of filmmaking, which enriches me as an actor. People are always comparing the mediums of theatre and OTT, and for me, every film—everything you do—is a different medium, because the format is going to change. I just love jumping from medium to medium,” says Banerjee.
Stolen goes beyond being just a narrative of events; it offers a chilling insight into the socio-political fabric of our times. Banerjee’s character, Gautam, mirrors the cynicism of a society whose moral compass is easily manipulated by practicality—in this case, a tendency to avoid confrontation. As he seamlessly articulates the confusion and chaos of his character, Banerjee defines his process as being fairly straightforward.
“My favourite pastime is watching news and documentaries over films. When I’m not on set, I love connecting with people and observing whatever is around me. I have this innate urge to understand human beings, and I don’t know where it comes from. When I get to meet my characters—like Vishal Tyagi in Pataal Lok, Janaa in Stree, and now Gautam—I study them as Indians living in the parts of the country they come from: what shapes them, their social milieu, their status, and in a society like ours, religion and caste also. I know very well what each one’s political thoughts are, who they would vote for. All this is pivotal to me in performance. It is a huge responsibility for any actor, which goes beyond just performing—you are actually representing a society,” he says.
Though Banerjee has spent a significant portion of his 15-year career as a casting director—working on films like Rock On 2, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Secret Superstar, and Bulbul—he says these are perhaps the most thriving times for the industry.
“We need patience. These are not times when a film releases on a Friday and the actor becomes Hrithik Roshan overnight. People have various avenues for entertainment. There are fresh directors coming on board and new voices emerging. The success of actors such as Pratik Gandhi, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma—who, driven by their passion for the craft, have made a mark—proves this. The West is finally beginning to understand that Indian cinema is not just about song and dance. Grants are now available to Indian filmmakers. The industry has been decentralised. We are being compelled to create different kinds of cinema and observe how the audience reacts. These are very exciting times, and a good film—irrespective of scale or star power—will find its audience,” adds Banerjee. And good actors, like him, get their due.