Meet actor who was forced to work in porn, failed every audition for 9 years, now winning hearts in Panchayat

Panchayat has been one of the more refreshing shows on the Indian OTT space. In a world of action and gangster dramas, this slice-of-life dramedy has won hearts all over. And while the lead stars – Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, and Raghubir Yadav – have been feted, the support cast has won praise too. Some of these unheralded actors have gone on to become stars in their own right. This is the story of one of these ‘overnight stars’ from Panchayat.

The story of Durgesh Kumar, Panchayat’s Bhushan

Durgesh Kumar plays Bhushan, an antagonist of sorts, in Panchayat. The character was introduced in the second season of the show, following which he became a fan favourite through his quirks and one-liners. But Durgesh Kumar’s journey to this level of ‘stardom’ as not been easy. Born in Darbhanga, Durgesh completed his schooling and moved to Delhi, where he taught in a school while learning theatre at the National School of Drama. After moving to Mumbai, he made his acting debut with a small role in Highway. He had minor roles in a couple of films over the next few years but this was a period of great struggle for him. The actor recounts that he failed every single audition he gave in a nine-year period from 2013-22. “Casting directors would say that you have talent but auditions are not working,” the actor said.

During this phase, he was forced to work in a soft porn film for money as he had no other work. “I can’t live without acting,” Durgesh explained, “So, I did any work that came my way because I was confident in my abilities.”

Durgesh Kumar’s claim to fame

During the pandemic, Durgesh finally found work. He was cast as Bhushan in Panchayat season 2, a role that has now expanded to almost main cast-status in season 3. The actor says he is happy about this diversification of OTT. “We are getting work now, which is a big deal,” says Durgesh, adding, “Else, where would we fit? Nobody takes us in the maar-dhaad wale shows (action genre). At least with comedy, we get these chances so it feels very good.” Durgesh also had supporting roles in Laapataa Ladies and Bhakshak, two recently-released films.

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