'Mumbai Ka Sabse Bada Struggler’ |Abhilash Thapliyal’s journey from RJ to OTT star

Abhilash Thapliyal’s journey began with a local radio station, and was soon monikered ‘Mumbai Ka Sabse Bada Struggler’ due to his cheerful banter and sense of humour, winning fans across the country.

An RJ turned actor, Abhilash Thapliyal sprung to fame with his outings in OTT and movies, including Maidaan, Kennedy, Faadu, TFV Aspirants, Blurr… From Uttarakhand to Mumbai, he has charted an enviable journey in the world of acting. His journey began with a local radio station, and was soon monikered ‘Mumbai Ka Sabse Bada Struggler’ due to his cheerful banter and sense of humour, winning fans across the country. Cut to 2025. From comic roles to poignant characters, Abhilash has enthralled audiences with his riveting performances and great screen presence.

Shilpi Madan caught up with the actor for this chat.

What is that biggest takeaway from your fauji background that holds you in good stead?

Watching my father serve in the Indian army, I grew up inculcating discipline and punctuality. These are two things that are a rarity in the industry and give me an edge over others.

What does Mumbai mean to you?

Mumbai is so non-judgmental that I’ve completely fallen in love with the city. Actually, I come from Uttarakhand, but I’ve never stayed there for long. I was born in Kashmir, raised all across - Gurdaspur, Jaipur, Gwalior, Delhi and now Mumbai. But I think out of all these, I will choose Mumbai.

What is your biggest asset as an actor?

I see a lot of actors not even changing their looks, let alone changing their mannerism and accent. When I compare myself with them – call it a human trait - I see that all my characters are very different in terms of looks, accents, nuances and I believe that is something which sets me apart.

What has been the turning point in your career?

My journey as an actor has just started, so I wouldn’t want to jinx it by saying that was my turning point. But if I look back, surely ‘Aspirants’, because after that people started recognizing me as a full-time actor.

What is your biggest challenge?

To convince makers that they should believe in the character and not the worldly stature of an actor. When people tell me I am an amazing actor, versatile, and have worked with the best of directors – the issue is that they want an A-lister or a bigger star. Convincing people to stay true to their story and the character has been a big challenge.

A skill that you picked up while prepping for a role…

I practiced football for two months for ‘Maidaan’ because I played a player’s part, which eventually never happened. I got to play the commentator’s part.

How has the journey been so far in the world of acting?

I am not a trained actor. I just got into it by luck and over the past few years I’ve worked with the best of directors in the industry - Anurag Kashyap, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, Amit Sharma, Navdeep Singh and Ajay Behl. I’ve been a part of some very interesting stories. I am enjoying it.

What is the best bit about being a part of OTT hits?

I think hits or flops, you really can’t predict in any form of storytelling, be it literature, cinema or OTT stories. But when you’re a part of an OTT story, the best thing is the makers won’t want to upcast - go to a bigger star. Most makers want to stay true to their story, which gives actors like me more opportunities, more chances we can stay true to our characters and there is no pressure of box office numbers. It is a beautiful thing that makes this platform interesting.

Share an anecdote or interaction with any actor on the sets…

I am not a trained actor so every time I am on a set with any director or actor, even when we are rehearsing, I learn a lot. And my performance depends on my co-actor a lot. But if I were to pick one incident, it’ll have to be doing this sketch with Irrfan Khan. He would improvise as an actor and you had to be on your toes. If you failed to react, the scene would fall flat.

A word that describes you best?

I think ‘hard working’ because there are so many, such amazing actors, talented actors around me. You can question my talent, skillset and craft, but you can’t question my hard work.

If you could you would do what?

If I could, I would make myself a superstar so that the actor in me can get more chances to work with great directors.

Your fitness routine?

I’ve always been a thin, lanky guy because of my Pahadi genes. I was doing a lot of mixed martial arts for the last couple of years. But now, I’m in this industry, and I have to look a certain way. I started weight training to gain weight and muscles.

What’s next?

There is one feature film which is at a very initial stage of discussion. A short film with Manish Seni, a national award winner. Aspirants 3 is on the cards, and we shoot soon.