Akshay Nalawade, who is seen as Garud Dev in Shiv Shakti: Tap Tyag Tandav and Kakbhushundi Ramayan, shared that though his physicality has gotten him some good roles, he has also been typecast because of it. “I have faced some type casting due to my athletic build. I often got roles related to action or tough characters like warriors in mythological shows. But that’s just one small typecast I’ve experienced. Otherwise, I’ve played a variety of characters throughout my career,” he said. The actor’s perspective on challenging societal norms stands clear, and he takes a more rooted approach that stems from a deep understanding of cultural identity and heritage. He said, “Challenging societal norms through my acting has never been my preference because I truly believe in culture, religion, generation, and region.”
“I believe everyone has their own set of beliefs and rules in life, and I would never want to challenge or hurt them in any way through my work. If I ever play such a character, I would portray it in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone’s sentiments,” he added. And when it comes to the characters that he would like to see more on-screen, he believes that there is still so much left from the history of the country that can be explored.
He said, “I am a true believer in our religion, culture, generation, and region. I would also say I’m a proud desh bhakt (patriot). I feel that we Indians have very little awareness about our real-life heroes—our kings, our history.” “Today, people often know more about other countries than about our own. Cinema can be a great medium to teach, learn, and discover the beauty of our country—past and present. In the future, I’d love to play real-life characters whose stories deserve to be told,” Akshay shared.
