Bollywood Hungama

Kranti Prakash Jha says he is an accidental actor as UPSC was his only aim, recalls being part of theatre group with Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj

Actor Kranti Prakash Jha, known for Raktanchal, has said his path to acting was never planned, and that his original ambition was to clear the UPSC examination and become an IPS officer. Jha said, You can call me an accidental actor. He added that he and his brother watched close to 250 films a year as children and kept a notebook recording every film they saw. Jha said acting did not cross his mind even while he was part of the theatre society at Hindu College, founded by filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. He said, I was part of the theatre culture at Hindu College. Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj are seniors from our college theatre group. I was a very small part of that ecosystem, working on productions and in the drama society, but I never thought of becoming an actor. He said, UPSC was my only aim. I wanted to become an IPS officer. On the fashion shows he took part in during college, he said, I also did fashion shows because I was told I was handsome. Jha said the turning point came when friends encouraged him to spend a few months in Mumbai before returning to his UPSC preparation. He credited screenwriter Ritesh Shah, known for Pink, and lyricist, writer and actor Swanand Kirkire, saying, I never had to go through that. Ritesh Shah and Swanand Kirkire helped me with food and shelter. They took me along to audition and find something new in life. Speaking about his belief in destiny, Jha said, I have always believed in Jo Ram Rachi Rakha. He went from preparing for the civil services to becoming an established performer in the OTT space, a journey he describes as unplanned. Also Read: Kranti Prakash Jha reflects on filming Raktanchal Season 3s intense sequence: Every frame of this scene demanded so much