This is something I can't answer.- Amol Parashar

By Shantiswarup Tripathi

Born on September 17, 1986, in Delhi, Amol Parashar is a name that doesn't need any introduction today. He gained immense popularity for his portrayal of Chitvan Sharma in TVF's Tripling, a role that many big stars envy. Currently, he’s in the spotlight for his performance in the film Sweet Dreams, directed by Victor Mukherjee, which started streaming on Disney+ Hotstar on January 24, 2025.

Here’s a special excerpt from our conversation with Amol Parashar for MayaPuri

The film Sweet Dreams talks about an individual’s roots. Let's begin by talking about your roots. Can you share about your family background?

I grew up in Delhi. My father, Jeetendra Parashar, worked for the Central Government, and my mother, Urmila Parashar, was employed by the Delhi Government. Both of them had transferable jobs, which meant we moved around quite a bit. When I was in the seventh grade, my father was transferred to Jammu, and we lived there for three years. Later, my father was posted to Assam, but we didn’t go with him because I was in college, and my younger sister Shrishti had board exams for her 10th and 12th grades. So, he spent three years in Assam alone. I grew up in a middle-class family where the goal was always to study hard, secure a government job, and live a peaceful life. At that time, I had no interest in arts or acting. But destiny had other plans, and it turned me into an actor.

How did the passion for cinema emerge?

As a child, I didn’t have much interest in films. On Sundays, there were films on TV, and I would watch them, but it wasn’t a major obsession. None of my family members or relatives were connected to the film industry, so I never thought about being an actor. Many of my friends from Delhi are now in the film industry as actors, writers, or directors, but for me, it was always about academics. My sister and I were consistently the top students in class, and because of that, we were pushed to study science. Everyone expected me to become a doctor or an engineer. So, I pursued engineering. I even got a job in Pune after my studies. But during my college years, I got hooked on theater. I did theater at IIT, balancing it with my studies. We would rehearse late into the night, direct, act, and compete in drama festivals. Even during those days, I never thought of making a career out of theater. I was focused on becoming an engineer. After getting my degree, I moved to Pune for work, but my connection with theater grew stronger. Eventually, I realized that juggling a job and theater wasn’t easy, so I decided to take a break and explore theater further. Pune to Mumbai is a short distance, so I moved to Mumbai, hoping to spend one or two years trying my luck in theater. And that’s how I ended up in Mumbai, where I’ve been pursuing acting for the last 15 years.

How did your theater journey begin in Mumbai?

There’s a festival called Facebook at Prithvi Theater, which is an excellent platform for young theater enthusiasts. The age limit for the participants is 25, and everyone involved—writers, directors, and actors—must be under 25. I created and directed a play for Facebook and met several people through it. Although my play didn’t get performed at Prithvi Theater, it gave me the chance to work with other theater groups. My first performance was in Gemini Pathak's play Once Upon A Tiger, which we performed in schools and colleges across the country. It was a wonderful experience. I worked with several groups, including those of Akarsh Khurana and Chandan Roy Sanyal, and performed in around thirty plays, doing over a thousand shows.

How did your film journey begin?

I came to Mumbai to pursue theater. I was quite busy with it. But soon I realized that theater alone couldn’t cover Mumbai's living expenses, so I started doing ad films and attending auditions for movies. My first film was Rocket Singh with Yash Raj Films, featuring Ranbir Kapoor. I only had a small role for three days, but it was an incredible experience. The film didn’t do well at the box office, though. After that, I got the role of Chitvan Sharma in the TVF series Tripling, and that’s when things started taking off for me. I’ve since acted in films like Sardar Udham Singh (where I played Shaheed Bhagat Singh), Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare with Konkona Sen Sharma, Traffic with Manoj Bajpayee, and the comedy film Cash by Vishesh Bhatt. Currently, people can see me in Sweet Dreams on Disney+ Hotstar.

You’ve received awards for Tripling, right?

Yes! I won several awards for Tripling, including the Best Actor (Comedy) at IReel Awards 2019, Best Actor in Comic Role at IWM Awards 2019, and the Power Performer category at IWM Awards 2019, among others.

How did you get involved with Sweet Dreams?

The director of Sweet Dreams, Victor Mukherjee, reached out to me after the script was already written, and some actors, including Mithila Palkar, were already chosen. We met, discussed the story, and I liked it a lot. I already knew Mithila, and soon, I was finalized for the role of Kenny. Within a month, everything was set, and we started shooting. We also had workshops before the shoot.

Mithila’s character is quite complex, but Kenny’s role doesn’t seem as layered. Also, Kenny visits a psychologist, but it doesn’t seem to have much impact.
That’s an interesting observation, and I hadn’t really thought about it that way. Perhaps the filmmakers are saving some of these nuances for the sequel.

How was your experience shooting for Sweet Dreams?

You must have seen the scene where I chase Mithila while she’s riding a bike. I remember that day well because she made me run a lot! I’ll never forget how much I ran after her under the hot sun! In real life, I would never chase someone like that, but I do remember the pain from that day more than the comfort.

How was it working with Mithila Palkar?

Working with Mithila was an incredible experience. She’s not only a brilliant co-actor but also someone who brings warmth and creativity to every scene. We had always wanted to collaborate on a romantic film, and Sweet Dreams gave us the perfect opportunity to bring that to life.

You also do live storytelling. When did you develop an interest in writing?

During my college days, I would often write plays and stories. But I never thought of myself as a writer. When I came to Mumbai and wanted to earn money aside from theater, I did some ghostwriting. It was a good way to make ends meet. I realized the importance of the Hindi language in Mumbai, which I had always taken for granted. Acting started going well, so writing took a backseat. But now, I’m interested in writing stories again, this time for others.

What’s next for you after Sweet Dreams?

Sweet Dreams has just been released, and the feedback has been really positive. I have some films and web series lined up, but I’ll talk about them once their release dates are confirmed. There’s a web series coming out in March produced by Balaji Telefilms. I’m also working on a comedy film called Nausikhiye.

How do you feel about the difference between theatrical releases and OTT releases?

I don’t have much experience with theatrical releases that I can compare with OTT releases. Rocket Singh and Traffic didn’t release properly, so I didn’t get to experience the full joy of a theatrical release. Some of my films, like Cash and Sardar Udham Singh, would have done better in theaters, but they ended up on OTT due to the pandemic.

What are your hobbies?

Acting is my passion, and it has now become my profession. Writing used to be a hobby too, and I would write stories and poems. I also enjoy gardening; I’ve planted a few trees at home. Music hasn’t been my strong suit, but I did try learning the guitar for a while, although I haven’t pursued it lately.

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