Abhishek Banerjee: ‘If I’m getting an opportunity, why not?’

Abhishek Banerjee

It has been a strong few years for Abhishek Banerjee, who is celebrating his 41st birthday in Goa. The actor is building a home in the beach state and ringing in his birthday there. Known for delivering impactful performances regardless of screen time, Banerjee admits he is as surprised as anyone by the range of characters he continues to juggle across projects.

He believes that while people differ, emotions remain universal. "We all have the same agony, angst, pain, love, empathy, and sympathy, just the degree varies from character to character. I bring that in my performance, but also keep it close to [my real personality]. Gautam, my character from Stolen [2023] is very close to how I would react to a situation. I feel that putting yourself in different situations helps with the process," he says. He adds that directors, along with the make-up and costume teams, play a key role in shaping a character.

(L-R) Abhishek Banerjee and Divyenndu in ‘Mirzapur'

For Jana from the Stree franchise and Bhediya (2022), he tapped into his childhood. "I was a bondu bachcha when I was a child. I tapped into that to play Jana." For Compounder in Mirzapur, he leaned on real-life bonds. "Divyenndu and I have been good friends since college. I played his friend like in real life, with the only difference that this friend can kill," he smiles. Banerjee confirms both Munna and Compounder return in Mirzapur: The Movie, but stays tight-lipped on details. "Their friendship and sacrifices are back… we ate and drank together, and bullied each other on set [for fun]." Despite advice against revisiting a small role, he remains unfazed. "If I'm getting an opportunity to earn more money from one tiny role and go back to the audience, and share their love for the character, then why not?"

In the pipeline

‘Mirzapur: The Movie'
‘Section 84'
‘Lust Stories 3'
‘Bhediya 2'
‘Stree 3'
‘Side Heroes'
‘Mahavatar'