From Jana to Hathoda Tyagi: Meet Abhishek Banerjee, the actor who conquered minor roles to become a major star

There was a time when only those with conventional looks dared to dream of becoming actors, while others were relegated to minor roles. For a long time, the entertainment industry favored those who ticked all the boxes of the ideal image, often overlooking acting talent in favor of physical appearance.

However, things have changed for the better. We now live in an era where supporting characters are as crucial as the main leads. The rise of long-form web series has provided a platform for many talented actors across the spectrum, offering them not only opportunities to work but also to gain significant recognition.

Credit: IMDb

Meet the man who gave a break to many popular actors, before becoming a household name himself

One actor who has made a notable impact over the years is Abhishek Banerjee. Although he gained widespread recognition for his role as Hathoda Tyagi in the popular web series Paatal Lok, many may not realize that before stepping into the spotlight as an actor, Banerjee spent several years working as a casting director.

He dabbled in casting and took on small roles here and there before landing his first notable part as Jana in the 2018 film Stree. For OTT enthusiasts, however, he is most famously known as Hathoda Tyagi from Paatal Lok. Of course, he also grabbed attention with his role as Compounder in Mirzapur, but it was his portrayal of Hathoda Tyagi in Paatal Lok that truly cemented his reputation as one of the most formidable villains in recent cinema history.

Interestingly, when the acting bug bit him he went on to give several auditions. Instead of bagging a role he was asked to give cues to other aspiring actors. It was then that Dev D casting director Gautam Kishanchandani took him under his wing.

In 2010-2011, Milan Luthria gave him his big break as the chief casting director in The Dirty Picture.

After which, Banerjee established his own company, Casting Bay. Through this venture, he has given significant opportunities to actors like Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Avinash Tiwary, all of whom have since made notable strides in their careers. Despite his success in casting, Banerjee never abandoned his dream of becoming an actor.

From Pitchers, Stree, Paatal Lok to playing the main lead in The Great Wedding Of Munnes, Banerjee has climbed his way to the top with hard work and determination

Credit: Hotstar

In 2015, he appeared in TVF's Pitchers, delivering the now-iconic line, ¡°Tu Beer Hai BC,¡± which earned him a spot in the meme hall of fame.

His role as Hathoda Tyagi also paved the way for a leading role in the web series The Great Wedding Of Munnes. In this show, he plays a man on a quest to find a bride. Despite facing continuous rejections, he finally meets Mahi, who not only falls for him but also makes the first move. However, Munnes¡¯ birth chart complicates matters, as he is told he must marry another woman and then divorce her for his wedding with Mahi to succeed. The series was a hit and earned him a Filmfare Award for his performance.

With the sequel to Stree on the horizon, fans can look forward to the return of Jana. But that's not all¡ªBanerjee will also be making waves with back-to-back releases in a single week, including his role as a villain in John Abraham¡¯s Vedaa.

It¡¯s only a matter of time before he joins the ranks of actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Jaideep Ahlawat. This shift to carrying major projects on his own is well-deserved and long overdue, don¡¯t you think?