Outsiders become insiders when audience appreciates their work: ‘Bulbbul’ star Avinash

“Bulbbul” and “Laila Majnu” star Avinash Tiwary doesn't understand “us versus m” narrative as actor believes it is audience that decides who will become an insider in industry or stay out of it.

With tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, “outsider versus insider” debate has again come to fore in Bollywood with some criticising existing power structures in industry.

Tiwary said despite an early opportunity, insiders still need to prove ir talent.

“It’s audience that decides who y want to watch. re are more than a lakh people in profession of acting and only about a hundred would be so-called insiders. I don’t understand this ‘us versus m narrative’ because re are opportunities for everyone. We all have opportunity to go and do our jobs,” actor told PTI in an interview.

“What happens is that when audience appreciates our work, we become one of insiders and stars. Hopefully, if I have kids n I will be able provide for m if y want to become actors, which is what all insiders have - an early opportunity,” he ded.

Tiwary, who left his engineering degree to join Barry John’s acting studio and later went to New York Film Acemy, has emerged as one of promising talents in industry.

34-year-old actor worked with megastar Amitabh Bachchan on 2014 TV series “Yudh”. He me his movie debut with ensemble film “Tu Hai Mera Sunday” and debuted as a le in "Laila Majnu".

2018 film, produced by Imtiaz Ali and directed by his bror Sajid Ali, did t do well at box office despite good reviews.

"As an outsider I h a film and I was told that it is good. It did t last in atres for a week. If people h seen film, I would have become an insider. Privilege or t, we all have to work hard and persevere,” he said.

Tiwary reunited with his “Laila Majnu” co-star Tripti Dimri for “Bulbbul”, ar fable-like film that upends legend of witch through a coming-of- story of a Bengali child bride. Both Avinash and Tripti have been praised for ir performance in Netflix film, produced by Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Filmz.

“Bulbbul”, directorial debut of lyricist-dialogue writer Anvita Dutt, is a special film, actor said, that defies being tied to a particular genre.

Tiwary said film explores a love story and a family drama in supernatural .

“It is a genre-flexible film (which is) unique for our country. t many films are me like this, maybe ‘Tumba’. It's hard to place it in one genre as it is also a love story and a family drama set in a period . It has bits of fantasy and horror as well,” he said.

Tiwary plays Satya to Dimri's Bulbbul, who is surprised to see transformation of his childhood friend and his sister-in-law - from an incent woman to matriarch of 'haveli' after being abandoned by her husband (Rahul Bose).

actor said it was intriguing to play a person who is in an undefined relationship.

“I found re is certain incence and naivety in him about what is happening. He is t a guy who makes quick judgements. I also found Satya to be a little dumb and I was like ‘why can’t he see it’...

“To have idea of relationship and still t understand what it is. We face that in real life as well. re was beauty in such subtle layers. It was only something you could explore while doing it,” he said.

Tiwary will next be seen in Hindi version of “ Girl on Train” with Parineeti Chopra.

Im credit: Instagram/@avinashtiwary15