Akshay Oberoi: I play a layered character in ‘Illegal’

Actor Akshay Oberoi, who impressed fans with his performance in Selection Day, will soon be seen in the Voot Select original Illegal and this has created a reasonable deal of buzz among fans. Speaking exclusively to DH, the young star opens up role in role in the web series and his journey as a performer.

(Edited excerpts)

What encouraged you to give the nod to Illegal?

The first factor was that my character is a rather layered one as there are a lot of things happening in his life. The storyline has plenty of genuine emotional moments, which ups its impact. Above all, I wanted to work with Piyush Mishra as he is a terrific performer. I like working with good actors as it helps me evolve.

How was the experience of working with Piyush Mishra?

He is a hard-working individual and just loves to act. Piyushji did not complain even once during the long schedules.

Why did you decide to work in the digital space?

You get a web series based on your (previous) work. However, in films the box office space is given a lot of importance.

You come from a theatre background.

Theatre is ultimately an actor’s medium and a good platform for learning (the art of acting). It has a live feel to it, which is makes it a difference experience. Moreover, when one plays a role numerous times he or she gets to improve the performance.

Does your association with the Oberoi family put additional pressure on you?

I was never launched by my family and consider to be an outsider. I have achieved things on my own merit. It was only later that people came to know about my Bollywood connection.

What keeps you going when you hit a rough patch on the work front?

The support of fans helps me stay strong. I really like when someone watches my work and says ‘yeh achchi acting karta hai’

Are you open to acting in content made in regional languages?

I am open to acting in all languages and the region does not matter to me. In fact, I recently worked with (Tamil director) Susi Ganesan on the Hindi remake of Thiruttu Payale 2 and it was a good experience. So I might do a Tamil movie in the future. Either way, working in a different language will be a new challenge.