Akash Makhija may currently be grabbing headlines for his chilling portrayal of Babu in the crime thriller ‘Raakh’, but the actor says his journey to recognition has been filled with heartbreak, rejection and constant struggle. While audiences are applauding him for playing one of the most hated characters on screen, Makhija revealed that there was a time when he was replaced from a Rajshri film at the last moment, leaving him devastated.In a conversation with Mid-Day, the actor opened up about the setbacks that shaped his career, his early days of chasing auditions across Mumbai and why success in the entertainment industry never comes easy.
From a McDonald’s washroom to playing Babu in ‘Raakh’
Akash shared that acting had fascinated him since childhood. One of his favourite characters growing up was Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from ‘Hera Pheri’, played by Paresh Rawal. Looking back now, he finds it amusing that his breakthrough role in ‘Raakh’ is also a character named Babu.Recalling his struggling days, the actor said he travelled from Ulhasnagar to Mumbai almost every day for auditions, surviving on limited pocket money while trying to build a career.“I used to get a student railway pass for a fifty per cent concession. I would go to McDonald’s outside Andheri Station to groom myself inside the washroom. For the longest time, it was my vanity.”Before landing substantial acting roles, Akash worked in more than 100 commercials and accepted every opportunity that came his way, hoping one project would change his fortunes.
Losing a Rajshri film left him in tears
Although Akash has now earned praise for performances in projects like ‘Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi’, ‘Gram Chikitsalay’ and ‘Raakh’, he revealed that the road to success included painful disappointments.The actor disclosed that he was once selected to play one of the lead roles in a Rajshri production but lost the project without any warning.“I was cast for a Rajshri film as one of the leads. One day, I was doing an ad shoot, and I got a text, not even a call, that they were releasing me.” The sudden decision left him emotionally shattered.“This field is brutal. I was on a different set when this happened, and the director told me to say my line. I asked for a five-minute break, went to the washroom, and cried.”He further revealed that rejection came in different forms during his career. “There was also a time I was not cast for a show because of my horoscope.”
‘Raakh’ became the breakthrough he almost didn’t get
Interestingly, Akash wasn’t the original choice to play Babu in ‘Raakh’. Nearly 800 actors auditioned for the role, and although he was initially rejected, fate eventually worked in his favour.According to the actor, another performer had already been finalised before the makers unexpectedly brought him on board a week later. Having experienced similar setbacks himself, Makhija said he empathises with actors who lose projects after being locked.Today, his terrifying portrayal of Babu has become one of the most talked-about aspects of ‘Raakh’. The actor joked that viewers have started calling him “the most hated man on the internet,” with many even comparing his performance to Joffrey Baratheon from ‘Game of Thrones’.Also starring Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Ramandeep Yadav, Aamir Bashir and Rakesh Bedi, ‘Raakh’ is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
