Panchayat actor Vinod Suryavanshi opens up about his journey, sharing stories of struggle, rejection, and humiliation he faced while trying to find his place in Bollywood industry.
'Panchayat' is one of the most successful web series to date. In its third season, actor Vinod Suryavanshi, who plays the new 'Sachiv ji', recently spoke openly about his career and struggles. He shared how he accidentally entered the film industry and the immense difficulties he faced as a junior artist.
Entered acting by chance
In a conversation with entertainment journalist Siddharth Kannan, Panchayat actor Vinod Suryavanshi revealed that his entry into acting was a complete coincidence. According to Vinod, “I came into the film industry by mistake. A friend called me and said I could earn ₹500 by being part of a crowd in a shoot.” He really liked the initial perks like breakfast, lunch, and ₹500 at the end of the day. He found it better than his old job and decided to continue working as a junior artist.
Journey from security guard to junior artist
Talking about his old job, he said he was previously a security guard, where he earned only ₹8,000 a month for a 12-hour shift. After becoming a junior artist, his earnings increased to ₹10,000 to ₹12,000, which was a big change for him.
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Insults and struggles as a junior artist
While his income increased on one hand, he had to face a lot of humiliation on set. Vinod explained, “Nobody talks nicely to a junior artist. They often abuse you and treat you badly. The assistant directors didn't treat us well. However, the big actors never insulted us.”
When his plate of food was snatched away
Vinod shared an incident that completely changed his mindset. He said that once he went to a room to eat when a senior person snatched his plate and asked who he was. When he replied that he was a junior artist, he was told to leave. Even when he said that the food for junior artists had run out, he was shooed away. This incident deeply hurt him. He said, “That very day, I decided that I had to do something big in this industry, so that I could also get respect and eat comfortably anywhere.”
Repeated rejections because of his looks
His struggle didn't end even after he started acting. He mentioned being rejected many times because of his looks. He said, “When I auditioned for TV, they often wanted a rich-looking face. Even for a beggar's role, they wanted an actor who looked rich. I was told that I didn't fit their requirements.”
The pain of being removed from a role due to his complexion
Vinod shared another incident when he was removed from a role because of his skin colour. He explained, “I was selected for the role of a domestic helper. I had reached the shoot, but the creative director said they needed someone with a fair complexion. Since I have a dark complexion, I was sent back.”
First break and the journey ahead
After years of struggle, he finally got his first big break on TV. He shared that he got a chance to work in 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi', where his daily pay increased from ₹700 to ₹2500. After that, he moved on to work in films and web series. He has appeared with Akshay Kumar in 'Jolly LLB 3' and was also part of the web series 'Janavar'. Today, on the strength of his hard work, he has made a distinct identity for himself in the industry.
