‘How Munjya Changed My Life!’

‘It
looks
like
an
overnight
success
but
nothing
happens
overnight.’
‘There’s
a
lot
of
struggle,
hard
work
and
sacrifice.’

From
starting
his
career
as
a
junior
artist
to
playing
the
lead
in
the
box
office
hit

Munjya,

Abhay
Verma
has
come
a
long
way.

Before
this,
the
25-year-old
actor
starred
in
various
projects
including

The
Family
Man
2,
Safed
and

Ae
Watan
Mere
Watan.

Born
in
Panipat,
Haryana,
Abhay
dreamt
of
a
movie
career
after
he
watched
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali’s

Goliyon
Ki
Raasleela:
Ram-Leela.

“Entertaining
people
is
a
public
service
which
I
think
is
an
actor’s
duty.
But
with
that,
whatever
love
comes
to
you
there’s
really
no
measure
to
that,”
Abhay
tells

Mayur
Sanap/Rediff.com.

Did
you
anticipate
this
level
of
reception
for

Munjya?
How
much
has
your
life
changed
after
this
success?

To
be
honest,
June
7
(the
day
Munjya
released)
changed
me
in
such
a
way
that
I
don’t
want
to
remember
my
life
before
that.

That’s
the
Friday
every
actor
wants.
It
has
come
to
me
after
12
years.

It
looks
like
an
overnight
success
but
nothing
happens
overnight.

There’s
a
lot
of
struggle,
hard
work
and
sacrifice.

With

Munjya,
people
are
validating
my
work
in
a
big
way.

The
other
characters
I’ve
done
so
far
have
also
received
love
but
this
appreciation
is
different
because
it’s
one
of
my
selfish
dreams
of
coming
on
the
silver
screen,
which
has
come
true.

The
seed
of
acting
was
put
in
me
when
I
watched
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali
sir’s

Goliyon
Ki
Raasleela:
Ram-Leela.

After
watching
that
film,
I
felt
like
dreaming.

Has

Munjya‘s
success
instilled
a
new
confidence
in
you?

Yes,
I’ve
never
felt
so
hungry
to
be
on
a
set.

It’s
been
one-and-a-half
years
since
I
shot
anything.

I
had
played
a
little
gamble
with

Munjya.

Time
is
the
biggest
ally
for
an
actor,
especially
when
he
comes
from
outside.

You
have
to
take
care
of
a
lot
of
things.

You
have
to
take
care
of
your
budget,
your
rent.

But
I
said,
‘No,
I’ll
wait
for

Munjya
to
come
out.’

I
had
really
invested
in
it.

I
waited
a
year-and-a-half
for

Munjya
to
release.
I
wanted
this
to
be
out
there
and
then
see
what
lies
ahead.

From
an
eye
injury
to
a
visit
to
a
police
station,
Abhay
recalls
his
eventful
first
day
in
Mumbai

Before
your
star
turn
in

Munjya,
you
led
an
offbeat
film
called

Safed,
which
went
unnoticed.
What
did
that
experience
teach
you?

Yes,

Safed
went
unnoticed
but
I
feel
there’s
a
certain
audience
for
every
film.

A
lot
of
people
did
see

Safed
and
penned
me
pages
and
pages
of
messages.

That
film
left
such
an
impact
on
them.

I
love
the
success
of

Munjya
as
equally
the
challenges
and
the
struggle
I
went
through
before
that.

Because
that
made
me,
me.

When
someone
meets
me
with
a
smile
on
his
face
and
shakes
my
hand
in
a
respectful
way,
that’s
a
win
for
me.

I
really
believe
that
my
character
in

Safed
gave
me
another
perspective
to
life
in
which
I
can
understand
the
society
better
and
the
issues
of
transgender
better.

With

Munjya,
I
get
to
understand
the
meaning
of
family
better
and
the
nurturing
of
relationships
better.

It
is
always
an
uphill
battle
when
you
are
an
outsider
trying
to
find
a
footing
in
this
industry.
How
did
you
navigate
your
way
through
the
challenges?

The
first
ever
project
I
did
was

Super
30.
I
was
on
a
set
for
30
days,
18
hours
a
day.

I
was
a
junior
artist
and
a
lot
of
things
would
happen
on
set
every
day.

I
had
nothing
much
to
do
except
stand
in
the
sun
and
do
a
certain
things.

But
it
felt
like
this
is
the
place
I
want
to
be.

But
yes,
it’s
tough
to
live
in
this
practical
city.
Sometimes
everyday
challenges
get
tiring.

Abhay
harboured
the
dream
of
becoming
an
actor
after
watching
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali’s

Ram
Leela
and
journeyed
his
way
to
Mumbai.
He
tells
the
story
here:

What
does
your
family
think
of
your
success?

They’re
the
same.
Whether
it’s
success
or
failure,
your
family
is
your
family,
and
they’re
the
most
real
people
in
your
life.

I
still
get
scolded
by
mom
for
being
late
for
breakfast
or
if
am
not
able
to
finish
my
things
on
time.

I
don’t
want
that
to
change.

It’s
been
some
six-eight
months
since
my
mom
shifted
with
me
and
that’s
the
most
luxurious
thing
I
could
afford,
Life
is
very
good.
(smiles)

I
have
realised
that
my
home
is
where
my
mom
is.

How
are
you
adjusting
to
this
fame?

I
was
waiting
for
this
moment!

Entertaining
people
is
a
public
service
which
I
think
is
an
actor’s
duty.
But
with
that,
whatever
love
comes
to
you
there’s
really
no
measure
to
that.

People
taking
autographs
of
yours,
people
making
sketches
of
yours,
people
giving
roses
to
you…
Wow!
I
won’t
lie
to
you,
I
imagined
all
this
every
single
day.

Do
you
have
any
idea
where

Munjya
will
pick
up
after
this?
Have
you
been
told
anything
about
the
sequel
yet?

I
don’t
know,

yaar.
I’m
dying
to
know
myself.

Just
recently
I
was
asking
Dinu
sir
(Dinesh
Vijan,
producer)
that
please
tell
me
if
something
is
happening
because
I
really
can’t
wait.

He
said
the
right
time
will
come
and
you
will
get
to
know.

So
fingers
crossed
that
I
get
to
explore
Bittu
more,
hopefully,
with
the
sequel
of

Munjya
or
whatever
happens
next.

Abhay
talks
about
his
fun
meet-up
with
his
Supernatural
Universe
co-stars
Shraddha
Kapoor
and
Varun
Dhawan

Has
the
success
translated
into
more
opportunities?
Have
you
signed
anything
yet?

The
phase
of
narration
before
auditioning
has
started.

That’s
something
new
for
me.

It
is
really
interesting
to
know
a
story
first
and
then
to
get
indulged
into
it.

Everything
is
in
the
initial
stage
currently.
Let’s
hope
something
really
big
and
exciting
comes.

Is
the
pressure
building
up
to
deliver
in
your
next?

Honestly,
I
have
never
planned
anything
so
far.

The
unpredictability
is
what
I
love.

I
don’t
want
to
be
predictable.
That’s
boring.

I
don’t
want
to
be
too
disciplined
in
life
either.
That’s
boring
too.

I
can’t
do
one
thing
every
day,
apart
from
going
to
the
gym
at
5
in
the
morning.

I
do
things
that
excite
me
the
most.

Choice
is
a
luxury
here,
and
I
don’t
really
expect
anything.

Whatever
comes
my
way,
I’ll
really
happily
accept
it
and
take
this
journey
forward.