You watched him hold the fort in Rajkummar Rao in ‘Stree’, loved him as Munna Bhaiya’s close aide Compounder in ‘Mirzapur’ but most would agree that actor Abhishek Banerjee really shined in ‘Paatal Lok’ as Hathoda Tyagi, the merciless killer who shows no guilt for his innumerable gross killings as he bludgeons people to death with hathoda (hammer).

You watched him hold the fort in Rajkummar Rao in ‘Stree’, loved him as Munna Bhaiya’s close aide Compounder in ‘Mirzapur’ but most would agree that actor Abhishek Banerjee really shined in ‘Paatal Lok’ as Hathoda Tyagi, the merciless killer who shows no guilt for his innumerable gross killings as he bludgeons people to death with hathoda (hammer). Abhishek admits Hathoda Tyagi is his favourite and most difficult to attempt of all characters on screen. Now, he’s coming back to lighten up our screens with ‘Unpaused’, an anthology of five short Hindi films that were filmed during the lockdown. As ‘Unpaused’ premiered today on Amazon Prime, Abhishek Banerjee got talking to WION about the pandemic year 2020, filming for ‘Unpaused’ amid lockdown and expectations from the new year. Out of the five films, Abhishek Banerjee features in Avinash Arun’s ‘Vishaanu’ that tells the story of a young migrant family’s life as they deal with the lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filming ‘Unpaused’ While The World Took A Pause In 2020 “Unpaused is a story of a migrant labour family that is stuck during lockdown. Somewhat clueless about the whole situation, as danger seeps in slowly, it’s a story of whether they manage to get out of it or not -- how the less fortunate also have a spirit to live. Unpaused is about hope. It’s about celebrating life,” says Abhishek Banerjee on his recently released film. It was special for the ‘Stree’ actor as it was his “first job post lockdown”. “As performers we were performing within the time and space of reality. We were all facing the same situation, everybody was scared about COVID. Initially we would panick about the most trivial things -- using elbow to press the lift button or having to use sanitisers regularly. However, it was easier to understand that fear, live that fear and bring it on screen. Usually actors struggle to understand the time and space of the written world but in case of Unpaused, we didn't need rehearsals or readings. We are living that life,” adds Abhishek. Watch 'Unpaused' trailer here: Looking Back At 2020 Abhishek Banerjee might have been a part of the entertainment industry for a longer period of time but he admits this year has been extra special for him. “Apart from the pandemic, it’s been the best year of my life. Whatever I was seeking and I wasn't seeking anything extra -- just trust from filmmakers, to have an opportunity to perform. I came to Mumbai to perform, to act and finally after all these years, 2020 has been all that. In 2018 I made an actual debut with ‘Stree’, did ‘Bala’, ‘Dream Girl’ but felt a lack of trust from filmmakers all this while,” admits Abhishek. “Now I am surprised with the kind of offers I am getting. There is this whole world of imagination about me, and I’m loving it. I have to be more focused now as there’s added pressure. When you have nothing to lose, it's easier. So yes, this has been the most special year. Though I haven't met my parents this entire year. I met them last December,” he says while mentioning that he’s met them just now and the parents aren't very pleased with the whole situation. Favourite Character “My most favourite character is Hathoda Tyagi. Theres no other way about it,” says Abhishek who went all out playing the merciless killer in hit web show ‘Paatal Lok’. He adds, “Even while performing I knew this is the most difficult part I have attempted in my life. The way the character was written by Sudeep Sharma -- I always feel that writers are creators, they are Brahma. I was very lucky to get this role. The way this character was designed within the screenplay, it was almost like a gift wrapped and served to me.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhishek Banerjee (@nowitsabhi) × Abhishek was doing whatever he got (and ofcourse liked). “I wanted to do Bittu (Stree) but they wanted me to do Jana. I had no clue I could do jana,” says Abhishek who excelled as Rajkummar Rao’s best friend in the horror comedy that was a critical and box office hit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhishek Banerjee (@nowitsabhi) × “I have always said that I want to play a villain. Maybe the things I can't do in real life, I like to do those on screen,” on the eclectic choice of roles we have seen him pick over the years, especially negative characters in ‘Mirzapur’ and ‘Paatal Lok’. Call ‘Hathoda Tyagi’ a black character and Abhishek will correct you as he sees it as someone who is grey. He explains, “I have played a character called Dhavle. That I will call a black character. I was playing a child rapist in the film. It’s an Indie film available on Netflix. I was very raw at the time but it was the first time I was offered an important role. This role helped me prepare for Hathoda as I always use my previous experiences. Those are my additional skills sets. I will always have tools for the character if I have done something like that. I wanted to attempt Hathoda as an angry, violent guy. It changed when I understood the human being with its added sociological layers -- who are his oppressors, why does he behave the way he does and when you go back to his history, you feel Hathoda’s pain. You feel sorry for him. It was an emotional journey for me. It was possible because I had done ‘Ajji’. It worked better this way.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhishek Banerjee (@nowitsabhi) × Abhishek loves his greys. “I think I have a knack of pulling gravitas characters, negative characters. I will be looking forward to playing more such characters for sure. I don’t think I will repeat myself if I do a negative character. If it’s written well, I would definitely take it up,” says the actor on not shying away from doing more such roles. But he has a problem in calling the ‘other’ roles he’s done as those of ‘hero’s best friend’. “I find them fun. They are the heart and soul of the film. There are so many actors who are doing it now. I have said no to many such opportunities before but only because they were not written well. Earlier, they never wrote such roles. They wrote those characters as a shadow of the hero and shadows don’t react while now writers make protagonists and the other characters who also drive the film with the protagonist,” subtly hinting that he also has an issue with the phrase ‘hero’ and wants them to be addressed as protagonist/antagonist.” Read 'Unpaused' review here. Expectations From 2021 “I expect people to be more patient because humans in general have become impatient beings and I hope we make beautiful stories as we need a lot of good stories at this point in time. From an industry point of view, I think we need to craft stories out of our own experiences from the pandemic because we have all had many in 2020. Look at the trailer of ‘AK vs AK’, it looks so different from anything I have seen in the recent,” says Abhishek on what he wants from the new year. Putting on his thinking cap as an actor, he adds, “It’s time to up the game, to bring forth unique concepts. To make films by breaking the grammar of filmmaking. This year has taught us to adapt as an industry, that we can make films with constraints, no foreign locations, less crew, can use your own space intelligently and more.” ‘Unpaused’ premiered on December 18 on Amazon Prime Video. It features five short films directed by Raj and DK, Nitya Mehra, Nikkhil Advani, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Avinash Arun.

Abhishek Banerjee: Apart from the pandemic, it's been the best year of my life

<p>Riding high on the success of the recently released web series 'Paatal Lok', actor Abhishek Banerjee is back on the web space in a new show. This time it’s a bilingual series called 'Kali 2' on ZEE5.<br />
<br />
Banerjee's performance as Hathoda Tyagi in 'Paatal Log' struck a chord with one and all. He played a silent, cold murderer in the series and barely had dialogues. In 'Kaali 2' though, Abhishek says his character Jin Liang is completely opposite of Tyagi.<br />
<br />
"If Tyagi doesn't speak a word, this guy is all talks. So they are different for sure," said Banerjee while speaking to WION.<br />
'Kaali 2' features Paoli Dam in the lead role, with Chandan Roy Sanyal and Banerjee playing key supporting roles.<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cLJFPcNPqKQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Much like 'Paatal Lok', here in 'Kaali 2', Banerjee plays the antagonist. Wouldn't there be a comparison between the two characters, we ask. "I want them(the viewers) to compare. The audience should compare and tell me if I have been able to pull it off differently or they feel the two look the same. Whatever the audience tells me- I am going to make a note of it. I don't know how the character has come out on screen. I go with the flow. So when people watch it and talk about it- ill get to know. I really would want them to compare," Banerjee said.<br />
<br />
While the actor was okay with the comparison, he admitted it was a challenge to shoot for a bilingual show. The crew shot the series in Bengali and Hindi simultaneously and the actor admitted that itself was challenging. "You have to say the same lines in Bengali and Hindi and then on top of it you also have to match the character, the emotions. When the language changes, even the rhythm changes- everything changes, so how do you maintain that? That was the tricky part."<br />
<br />
The actor admitted that he was nervous speaking the Bengali lines. "It was my first project in Bengali language so of course I was nervous. I have been out of Bengal for a long time so I don't know if I have spoken the lines properly. I am more nervous about how my family would take it.Whether they will it or disown me completely," Banerjee laughed and added.<br />
<br />
The actor has been a casting director for many years and has been instrumental in casting for several popular films like ‘Toilet:Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Secret Superstar’ and web series like ‘Paatal Lok’, ‘TVF Pitchers’. In the ongoing debate about cinema halls vs OTT platforms, Banerjee states that while digital has given a platform to scores of actors and makers to experiment and evolve, the magic of cinema halls will never fade away.<br />
<br />
"You don't go to watch a film just to watch the story or the dance or the music, you go for the cinematic experiences always. You can never take the magic of the cinema hall lightly," the actor said and added that digital has its own space. "Its a great medium. The medium has always been there for people to experiment, to explore, to evolve. We have seen so many brilliant actors all over the world and we have seen them in shows," he said.<br />
<br />
Banerjee is also remembered for his performances in films like 'Stree', 'Bala' and ‘Dream Girl’. Considering he has played the antagonist in two web series back to back- does he feel he'll get stereotyped? "No- because they are very different characters. I think that's what I've been trying to do. I have done roles and characters very different from each other. I don’t have a range man. I have been trying to mix up the characters, I have not stuck to any range so far. I don't have a game plan. My game plan is blank," Banerjee said and is hopeful that this will not make him stick to any particular genre.<br />
<br />
Post 'Kali 2', Banerjee has a mixed bag of drama and comedy. He is part of Umesh Shukla's next with Paresh Rawal and Sharman Joshi, a film with Ayushmann Khurrana and 'Dostana 2. "It's a good mix of comedy and drama so I am happy," he adds.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xn6qTJiR1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xn6qTJiR1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xn6qTJiR1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xn6qTJiR1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">दिवाली 2020 mein hone jaa rahi iss #AankhMicholi mein aap invited hai सपरिवार। #Diwali2020 🥳🥳 @sonypicturesin @mgr_studios @abhimanyud @mrunalofficial2016 @sharmanjoshi @divyadutta25 @nowitsabhi @grushkapoor24 @vivekkrishnani @ashishwagh7 #UmeshShukla #PareshRawal #VijayRaaz #darshanjariwala</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nowitsabhi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> abhishek Banerjee</a> (@nowitsabhi) on <time datetime="2020-02-20T04:31:29+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Feb 19, 2020 at 8:31pm PST</time></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Considering he has a long experience as a casting director, does he ever feel his co-actors are miscast in certain roles. "Yes, many a times. Certain takes go wrong, or the dialogue delivery is not right and I feel someone else could have been a better choice for the same role. But that happens to me too. There are days when I don't get my lines right. So it's normal. Criticism is a part of our job," says Banerjee as he signs off.<br />
<br />
‘Kaali 2’ is available for streaming on ZEE5.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Riding high on the success of the recently released web series 'Paatal Lok', actor Abhishek Banerjee is back on the web space in a new show. This time it’s a bilingual series called 'Kali 2' on ZEE5.

Riding high on the success of the recently released web series 'Paatal Lok', actor Abhishek Banerjee is back on the web space in a new show. This time it’s a bilingual series called 'Kali 2' on ZEE5. Banerjee's performance as Hathoda Tyagi in 'Paatal Log' struck a chord with one and all. He played a silent, cold murderer in the series and barely had dialogues. In 'Kaali 2' though, Abhishek says his character Jin Liang is completely opposite of Tyagi. "If Tyagi doesn't speak a word, this guy is all talks. So they are different for sure," said Banerjee while speaking to WION. 'Kaali 2' features Paoli Dam in the lead role, with Chandan Roy Sanyal and Banerjee playing key supporting roles. Much like 'Paatal Lok', here in 'Kaali 2', Banerjee plays the antagonist. Wouldn't there be a comparison between the two characters, we ask. "I want them(the viewers) to compare. The audience should compare and tell me if I have been able to pull it off differently or they feel the two look the same. Whatever the audience tells me- I am going to make a note of it. I don't know how the character has come out on screen. I go with the flow. So when people watch it and talk about it- ill get to know. I really would want them to compare," Banerjee said. While the actor was okay with the comparison, he admitted it was a challenge to shoot for a bilingual show. The crew shot the series in Bengali and Hindi simultaneously and the actor admitted that itself was challenging. "You have to say the same lines in Bengali and Hindi and then on top of it you also have to match the character, the emotions. When the language changes, even the rhythm changes- everything changes, so how do you maintain that? That was the tricky part." The actor admitted that he was nervous speaking the Bengali lines. "It was my first project in Bengali language so of course I was nervous. I have been out of Bengal for a long time so I don't know if I have spoken the lines properly. I am more nervous about how my family would take it.Whether they will it or disown me completely," Banerjee laughed and added. The actor has been a casting director for many years and has been instrumental in casting for several popular films like ‘Toilet:Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Secret Superstar’ and web series like ‘Paatal Lok’, ‘TVF Pitchers’. In the ongoing debate about cinema halls vs OTT platforms, Banerjee states that while digital has given a platform to scores of actors and makers to experiment and evolve, the magic of cinema halls will never fade away. "You don't go to watch a film just to watch the story or the dance or the music, you go for the cinematic experiences always. You can never take the magic of the cinema hall lightly," the actor said and added that digital has its own space. "Its a great medium. The medium has always been there for people to experiment, to explore, to evolve. We have seen so many brilliant actors all over the world and we have seen them in shows," he said. Banerjee is also remembered for his performances in films like 'Stree', 'Bala' and ‘Dream Girl’. Considering he has played the antagonist in two web series back to back- does he feel he'll get stereotyped? "No- because they are very different characters. I think that's what I've been trying to do. I have done roles and characters very different from each other. I don’t have a range man. I have been trying to mix up the characters, I have not stuck to any range so far. I don't have a game plan. My game plan is blank," Banerjee said and is hopeful that this will not make him stick to any particular genre. Post 'Kali 2', Banerjee has a mixed bag of drama and comedy. He is part of Umesh Shukla's next with Paresh Rawal and Sharman Joshi, a film with Ayushmann Khurrana and 'Dostana 2. "It's a good mix of comedy and drama so I am happy," he adds. View this post on Instagram दिवाली 2020 mein hone jaa rahi iss #AankhMicholi mein aap invited hai सपरिवार। #Diwali2020 🥳🥳 @sonypicturesin @mgr_studios @abhimanyud @mrunalofficial2016 @sharmanjoshi @divyadutta25 @nowitsabhi @grushkapoor24 @vivekkrishnani @ashishwagh7 #UmeshShukla #PareshRawal #VijayRaaz #darshanjariwala A post shared by abhishek Banerjee (@nowitsabhi) on Feb 19, 2020 at 8:31pm PST × Considering he has a long experience as a casting director, does he ever feel his co-actors are miscast in certain roles. "Yes, many a times. Certain takes go wrong, or the dialogue delivery is not right and I feel someone else could have been a better choice for the same role. But that happens to me too. There are days when I don't get my lines right. So it's normal. Criticism is a part of our job," says Banerjee as he signs off. ‘Kaali 2’ is available for streaming on ZEE5.

Abhishek Banerjee on his roles in 'Paatal Lok' and 'Kaali 2': I would want people to compare the two characters

<p>While he certainly may have sent shivers down your spine as Vishal Tyagi aka Hathoda Tyagi in the recently released Amazon Prime Original 'Paatal Lok', don’t let Abhishek Banerjee’s intense look in the crime thriller fool you. On the contrary, the talented actor is known for leaving the audience in splits with commendable performances in 'Stree', 'Dream Girl', 'Bala' to name a few.<br />
<br />
Playing the role of the lead antagonist to perfection, Hathoda Tyagi, as one of the most dreadful villains seen in recent times, has become a character that’s certainly put Abhishek in the big league.<br />
<br />
Speaking about the process of playing the ruthless hammer-wielding gangster Hathoda Tyagi, Abhishek talks about getting into the skin of the character and how it took a toll on him. He said, “I broke down one day while driving with my wife and kept saying that it's not me. That is when I understood Tyagi. He is a man who’s far beyond anger and revenge. He wants to cleanse the world for others so that there are no more Tyagis."<br />
<br />
Watching this crime thriller makes one understand why Tyagi is what he is. Such is his riveting backstory that it makes you want to root for the bad guy.<br />
<br />
Abhishek started as a casting director and owns Cating Bay, the company that is instrumental in casting of many popular web series and films. Always enthusiastic to act, Abhishek made heads turn in a brief role in TVF's 'Pitchers'. But his performance as Vishal Tyagi is being considered as the breakthrough performance of his career.<br />
<br />
Produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Flimz, 'Paatal Lok' revolves around four gangsters attempting to assassinate media tycoon Sanjeev Mehra played by Neeraj Kabi.</p>

<p>With the case falling into the hands of a Delhi cop Hathiram Chaudhary, portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat, he begins his mission to bringing the guilty to justice.<br />
<br />
What also makes 'Paatal Lok' stand out is the ensemble cast that delivers a power-packed performance to remember- the casting of which has been done by Abhishek's cating agency. The show also features Jagjt Sandhu, Ishwak Singh, Gul Panag, Aasif Khan, Swastika Mukherjee, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Mairembam Ronaldo Singh and Vipin Sharma.</p>


While he certainly may have sent shivers down your spine as Vishal Tyagi aka Hathoda Tyagi in the recently released Amazon Prime Original 'Paatal Lok', don’t let Abhishek Banerjee’s intense look in the crime thriller fool you.

While he certainly may have sent shivers down your spine as Vishal Tyagi aka Hathoda Tyagi in the recently released Amazon Prime Original 'Paatal Lok', don’t let Abhishek Banerjee’s intense look in the crime thriller fool you. On the contrary, the talented actor is known for leaving the audience in splits with commendable performances in 'Stree', 'Dream Girl', 'Bala' to name a few. Playing the role of the lead antagonist to perfection, Hathoda Tyagi, as one of the most dreadful villains seen in recent times, has become a character that’s certainly put Abhishek in the big league. Speaking about the process of playing the ruthless hammer-wielding gangster Hathoda Tyagi, Abhishek talks about getting into the skin of the character and how it took a toll on him. He said, “I broke down one day while driving with my wife and kept saying that it's not me. That is when I understood Tyagi. He is a man who’s far beyond anger and revenge. He wants to cleanse the world for others so that there are no more Tyagis." Watching this crime thriller makes one understand why Tyagi is what he is. Such is his riveting backstory that it makes you want to root for the bad guy. Abhishek started as a casting director and owns Cating Bay, the company that is instrumental in casting of many popular web series and films. Always enthusiastic to act, Abhishek made heads turn in a brief role in TVF's 'Pitchers'. But his performance as Vishal Tyagi is being considered as the breakthrough performance of his career. Produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Flimz, 'Paatal Lok' revolves around four gangsters attempting to assassinate media tycoon Sanjeev Mehra played by Neeraj Kabi. With the case falling into the hands of a Delhi cop Hathiram Chaudhary, portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat, he begins his mission to bringing the guilty to justice. What also makes 'Paatal Lok' stand out is the ensemble cast that delivers a power-packed performance to remember- the casting of which has been done by Abhishek's cating agency. The show also features Jagjt Sandhu, Ishwak Singh, Gul Panag, Aasif Khan, Swastika Mukherjee, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Mairembam Ronaldo Singh and Vipin Sharma.

Abhishek Banerjee on his character Hathoda Tyagi: He wants to cleanse the world for others

<p>As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch. A crime thriller that is full of twists as it makes you want to finish off all episodes in one go, ‘Paatal Lok’ is more than what meets the eye in a run chase story about cops nabbing four suspects over the attempted assassination of a prime-time journalist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>High on drama, ‘Paatal Lok’ is an Indian story with roots in Chitrakoot and New Delhi as the central characters keep going back and forth, almost with a synergy that symbolises spirituality and politics. While Jaideep Ahlawat (Hathi Ram) plays the role of a cop who leads the investigation of an assassination attempt on a news anchor, Neeraj Kabi (Sanjeev Mishra) plays the journalist who was to be attacked.</p>

<p>Directors of ‘Paatal Lok’ Avinash Arun Dhawre and Prosit Roy (‘Pari’) and writer Sudip Sharma (‘NH10’, ‘Udta Punjab’) offer an intense crime thriller that has its heart in the right place.</p>

<p>Watch trailer:</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="446" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNwWMW4mxO8" width="793"></iframe></p>

<p><strong>What works?</strong></p>

<p>‘Paatal Lok’ is promising. It has all it takes to become the next big thing on OTT in Hindi language -- drama, suspense, edgy story and good acting. Jaideep Ahlawat shoulders the show brilliantly as he shines as a police inspector who is out on a personal and professional mission to make amends in life. Neeraj Kabi supports him equally as a self centered high profile journalist who gets the shock of his life when told that he was saved by the police from an assassiantion attempt. Gul Panag, Abhishek Banerjee and other cast members are brilliant in their parts as they help keep a tight knit story together.</p>

<p>Each character has their story well laid out with individual&nbsp;episodes dedicated to the four suspects, tracing their history in crime with paths converging to the present. The show has linear storytelling but each of the four character’s is linked to the other like a spider’s cobweb. The episodes are binge-watch material.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What doesn’t?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>If you get past the first episode, ‘Paatal Lok’ is a roller coaster. The story takes time to build in the first episode where it could lose some viewers as the makers take too much time to hook the audience. A few scenes could have been avoided like the one involving an elderly woman getting raped by several men of a village as part of revenge. Also the use and abuse of Hindi slangs, sometimes even when they sound forced and have no desired effect.</p>

<p>The ending, also some would argue, is less adventurous or maybe creator Sudip Sharma is thinking of season 2?</p>

<p><strong>The Verdict</strong></p>

<p>‘Paatal Lok’ will stick with you. With sincere acting chops displayed by the actors and honesty in the story that looks and feels real, ‘Paatal Lok’ deals with important issues that the Indian society is dealing with -- bureaucracy, stigma associated with being a Dalit, hatred towards Indian muslims, absurdity of pressure on journalists and police, the age of fake news and more. ‘Paatal Lok’ has undertones and it delivers a strong message with subtlety.</p>

<p>The biggest hero of the show, however, is Hathi Ram and his determination to become a ‘hero’ in the eyes of his teenage son and Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) who deserves a special mention for giving us a range from ‘Stree’ to ‘Paatal Lok’.&nbsp;</p>


As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch.

As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch. A crime thriller that is full of twists as it makes you want to finish off all episodes in one go, ‘Paatal Lok’ is more than what meets the eye in a run chase story about cops nabbing four suspects over the attempted assassination of a prime-time journalist. High on drama, ‘Paatal Lok’ is an Indian story with roots in Chitrakoot and New Delhi as the central characters keep going back and forth, almost with a synergy that symbolises spirituality and politics. While Jaideep Ahlawat (Hathi Ram) plays the role of a cop who leads the investigation of an assassination attempt on a news anchor, Neeraj Kabi (Sanjeev Mishra) plays the journalist who was to be attacked. Directors of ‘Paatal Lok’ Avinash Arun Dhawre and Prosit Roy (‘Pari’) and writer Sudip Sharma (‘NH10’, ‘Udta Punjab’) offer an intense crime thriller that has its heart in the right place. Watch trailer: What works? ‘Paatal Lok’ is promising. It has all it takes to become the next big thing on OTT in Hindi language -- drama, suspense, edgy story and good acting. Jaideep Ahlawat shoulders the show brilliantly as he shines as a police inspector who is out on a personal and professional mission to make amends in life. Neeraj Kabi supports him equally as a self centered high profile journalist who gets the shock of his life when told that he was saved by the police from an assassiantion attempt. Gul Panag, Abhishek Banerjee and other cast members are brilliant in their parts as they help keep a tight knit story together. Each character has their story well laid out with individual episodes dedicated to the four suspects, tracing their history in crime with paths converging to the present. The show has linear storytelling but each of the four character’s is linked to the other like a spider’s cobweb. The episodes are binge-watch material. What doesn’t? If you get past the first episode, ‘Paatal Lok’ is a roller coaster. The story takes time to build in the first episode where it could lose some viewers as the makers take too much time to hook the audience. A few scenes could have been avoided like the one involving an elderly woman getting raped by several men of a village as part of revenge. Also the use and abuse of Hindi slangs, sometimes even when they sound forced and have no desired effect. The ending, also some would argue, is less adventurous or maybe creator Sudip Sharma is thinking of season 2? The Verdict ‘Paatal Lok’ will stick with you. With sincere acting chops displayed by the actors and honesty in the story that looks and feels real, ‘Paatal Lok’ deals with important issues that the Indian society is dealing with -- bureaucracy, stigma associated with being a Dalit, hatred towards Indian muslims, absurdity of pressure on journalists and police, the age of fake news and more. ‘Paatal Lok’ has undertones and it delivers a strong message with subtlety. The biggest hero of the show, however, is Hathi Ram and his determination to become a ‘hero’ in the eyes of his teenage son and Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) who deserves a special mention for giving us a range from ‘Stree’ to ‘Paatal Lok’.

'Paatal Lok' review: Anushka Sharma backed web series is a must watch

hathoda-tyagi

Hathoda Tyagi, News on Hathoda Tyagi, stories on Hathoda Tyagi, articles on Hathoda Tyagi, Hathoda Tyagi stories at Wion, Hathoda Tyagi news, Hathoda Tyagi latest news

hathoda tyagi

Abhishek Banerjee: Apart from the pandemic, it's been the best year of my life

Abhishek Banerjee on his roles in 'Paatal Lok' and 'Kaali 2': I would want people to compare the two characters

Abhishek Banerjee on his character Hathoda Tyagi: He wants to cleanse the world for others

'Paatal Lok' review: Anushka Sharma backed web series is a must watch