Vikkas Manaktala on finding his footing with Special Ops 2: ‘I was almost signed for many films, but none materialised’

It’s been weeks since the première of Special Ops 2, but actor Vikkas Manaktala — who made his web debut with the Neeraj Pandey series — is still basking in gratitude. The project came after years of waiting and watching offers fall through, some even days before filming. A new entrant in the Special Ops universe, which also stars Kay Kay Menon, Manaktala plays an R&AW agent.

“Web offers had been coming to me for some time. I was, in fact, supposed to star in another Neeraj Pandey project, but it didn’t work out. I was almost signed for many films, [then] asked to wait, and [for some, even] my dates were blocked. But none materialised,” shares the actor.
 
Despite financial challenges, Manaktala never stopped chasing work that truly excited him, even when returning to TV was an option. “During COVID, everything became unpredictable. It got me thinking that if I didn’t continue to work, pursue what I want to do, then I wouldn’t be able to do it [later]. [I was in] extreme financial crunch, stressed mentally and physically, but I held on. TV offers are so lucrative financially that they put you mentally at ease. But I’ve been a risk taker. The journey was extremely troubling, tough, and testing. But people around me supported and pushed me to pursue my dreams. I’m happy that I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he adds.