Amol Parashar On Making A Mark His Own Unique Way

Amol Parashar has never chased stardom.

The IIT Delhi graduate moved to Mumbai not with a dream to dominate billboards, but with a quiet conviction to tell stories that moved him. Over the years, this soft-spoken actor has carved a steady space for himself as an actor, performer and even a producer. Today, he’s riding high on the success of Gram Chikitsalay and Kull: The Legacy Of The Raisingghs, two radically different performances that have earned him critical applause and fan love alike. But behind the applause is a life grounded in small joys, like taking his parents for drives in the luxury car he bought with his hard-earned success.

With a solo play, Besharam Admi, on tour and streaming hits to his name, Amol’s career is in the fast lane—but he’s still the guy next door who just happened to make it big on his own terms. He sat down with Esquire India to reflect on the best phase of his life. Edited excerpts from the interview:

You’re being celebrated for two starkly contrasting performances right now. What about these roles clicked for you?

I shot for Kull four to five months before starting Gram Chikitsalay. What drew me to Abhimanyu in Kull was how unpredictable and unlike anything I’d done before he was. The deeper I went into the script, the more crazier he got—and that was thrilling. With Gram Chikitsalay, the call came from Deepak Kumar Mishra (the series' show runner), and I didn’t even need to hear beyond the second sentence. TVF has a way of making shows that have made legendary spaces in people’s hearts. When I met the director Rahul Pandey, his clarity and passion were infectious. When we starting reading the script together, I just knew that we were a dream team and we were going to put out something very honest, which is exactly the thought that brought me to Mumbai. I came to the city 15 years ago purely out of love for acting. Owning a fancy home or car was never the driver.

Both characters demand emotional depth, but in very different cinematic languages. Did your prep differ for each—and what stayed constant?

I don’t have a rigid method before filming. For Kull, I did a fair bit of inner work to understand Abhimanyu’s psyche—why he behaves the way he does, how he justifies his actions. By the third or fourth day of shooting, you begin to embody the role more instinctively. For Gram Chikitsalay, Rahul (Pandey, director) didn’t want me to come in with any references or baggage, so I kept it completely organic—just responding to his direction and my gut. What remained constant across both was this: I gave everything. I made sure I was fully present.

With your play Besharam Aadmi, you’re also stepping in as producer.

The actor in me was born on stage. When I came to Mumbai, the plan was to thrive in theatre—not TV or films. But with time, you start valuing financial stability and comfort. Unfortunately, theatre doesn’t pay in the same way and my last stage performance was in 2015-2016. In 2023-2024, I began doing 15-minute solo performances on YouTube. I was fascinated by the solo stage format—how shows like Fleabag and Baby Reindeer began that way. That pushed me to create Besharam Aadmi, where I perform a 75-minute solo act. I’d love to write and perform a new solo piece every year or two. It’s creatively electrifying.

Parashar performing his play, Besharam Aadmi, that revolves around a man's hesitation at handling his wife's lingerie in front of his mother

Would you say this is one of the most fulfilling phases of your life?

Absolutely. I didn’t know anyone when I moved to Mumbai—I built everything from scratch. If you’d told me back then that I’d be on billboards or have a fan base, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’ve never had a five-year plan; I work with short-term goals and stay open to changing and improvising. Right now, things feel good. I’m more confident. A lot of self-limiting thoughts have melted away.

What keeps you grounded when things get overwhelming?

In college, acting was my main hobby. Now it’s my job. I’ve tried picking up things like guitar, but nothing really stuck. I do enjoy cricket and badminton with friends. Reading has taken a hit recently, but I still write—sometimes just for myself, sometimes professionally. And I love driving. It’s meditative for me. Just getting behind the wheel calms me down.

Who or what are your emotional lifelines?

For a long time, I didn’t. I was very independent—didn’t invest much in friendships or even romantic relationships. But the COVID lockdown shifted that. I started reconnecting with old friends—especially from IIT—who have nothing to do with this industry. Now I have a small core group of four or five people. They give honest feedback and don’t expect me to perform or impress.

Your characters often possess quiet strength—flawed but deeply human. How much of that is you?

I try to be true to the character rather than letting my personal emotions leak into it. Of course, parts of you seep in, but I focus on developing the character’s inner voice. I trust the camera to catch that truth—and what lies between the lines.

What does wellness look like for you in 2025—mentally and physically?

It’s simple but critical—eating right and eating on time. This job can throw your emotions all over the place. A disciplined diet really anchors me. I eat four meals a day, plan them with my dietician, and adjust based on my prep needs. And yes, I absolutely binge—burgers and biryanis are my go-to on those days.

How do you celebrate milestones?

Driving is my thing. Last year, I bought myself a BMW X1. It took me a while to be convinced about the investment, but I love it. For my mother’s birthday last month, we drove down to Panchgani. After COVID, my parents moved from Delhi to Mumbai. I bought a house for them—it was my mother’s retirement dream to live in a home of her own. They were government employees, always in allotted accommodations. I don’t live with them, but nearby. After 15 years of living alone, I needed my space, and they understand that. But we spend a lot of time together. Celebrating with them means the most.