With ‘Aai’ and ‘Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam’, Ankit Koya secured his place in the sun.
‘Aai’ stars Ankit Koya, Rajkumar Kasireddy, Narne Nitin and Ankit | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
Ankit Koya has been around for over five years, quietly trying to infuse life into the characters he portrays. But recent Telugu movies Aye And Maruthi Nagar Subrahmanyam Make the audience take notice of him. The actor, who is a content executive at Niharika Konidela’s production house, Pink Elephant Pictures, observes, “Earlier, some people saw me in the train and wondered if they had seen me anywhere. Of late, people come up and talk to me or request selfies. In the film industry, some are aware of my previous work and others are going back to the kind of characters I have done outside of comedy.”
At the Pink Elephant office in Hyderabad, Ankit is enjoying the calm before the storm to begin shooting for a new film in October. Both Aye And Maruthi Nagar Subrahmanyam It turned out to be a patronizing favorite film among the Telugu audience. Ankit feels that he intuitively knew that these films were on the right track. “It was heartening to see the audience burst into laughter while watching these pictures. While my parents enjoyed AyeIt filled me with happiness that is hard to express in words.”
Directed by K Anji Babu, Aye (now streaming on Netflix) was a comedy drama set in the Godavari belt and shared considerable screen space with Ankit Narane Nithin and Rajkumar Kashireddy. On cracking the vibing and comic timing with his co-actors, Ankit recalls, “The script reading session helped us a lot. the prince Anna And I improvised a few scenes and even laughed while rehearsing. For example, we knew that the bridge scene would be appreciated by the audience.”
Filming time Maruthi Nagar SubrahmanyamWhile he had several scenes with veteran actor Rao Ramesh, Ankit said he was determined to perform well. “If something could go wrong, it could be because of me. So I wanted to give my best. Once the cameras started, luckily I performed naturally and didn’t panic.”
Hailing from Visakhapatnam, love for cinema brought Ankit to Hyderabad and he started auditioning, landing supporting parts in prominent films — Majili, Shyam Singh Roy, Thimmarsoo And ashwathama, and web series Nine hours –to name a few. Soon, he learns that getting selected through the audition involves things beyond his control.
Ankit’s support system was his brother who worked in Hyderabad and his parents, government teachers in Visakhapatnam. However, eager to be financially secure, he started working in the film composition department. “My entry into the film world was through writer-director Teja Marni’s cousin. We spent considerable time writing a feature film which unfortunately did not take off.” However, Ankit went on to star in Marni’s. Zoharwhich had a direct digital release.
He then worked with several other groups including Ashwathamaand gave his input for writing the screenplay. “I am not credited for all of my writing. To be honest, I was fine if the teams paid me. Some did, others didn’t, and I would look for new opportunities. Naga was kind enough to talk about my contribution to Shaurya’s scenes Ashwathama” The film also featured Ankit in a cameo appearance.
‘Aai’ stars Ankit Koya, Nitin Narne and Rajkumar Kashireddy Photo credit: Special Arrangements
Ankit’s penchant for writing goes back to his days at GITAM University, Visakhapatnam when he was a part of college dramas. “Thanks to precise writing in school and college plays, I have developed a flair for writing and storytelling,” he reflects, adding, “I am also a good listener.”
As a content executive, he listens to story pitches, reads scripts and filters nebulae. He listens to several narrations every month but has never felt overwhelmed until now. “People tell me that when we hear too many narrations or read too many scripts, it can cloud our judgement. I take a few deep breaths, sit in relaxation mode and listen to a narration as if I were watching a film. If I lose focus, I note instances and let the manager know. If I think something can be tweaked I offer suggestions. It is up to them to consider those suggestions. It’s a learning process for me.”
Ankit Adishakti also took a short course titled Sources of Performance Power at Theater Arts, Pondicherry, which helped him better understand storytelling and performance.
post Aye And Maruthi Nagar SubrahmanyamAnkit is getting offers and is keen to work outside of comedy. A film that will feature him in the lead role is on the cards. He is keen to take it one step at a time and says, “My parents are aware of the volatility of cinema and give me a reality check. My father taught me to live within my means. A friend once told me that very few people continue their efforts and most quit midway. I want to be that guy who works and waits for the right opportunity.”
has been published – September 18, 2024 04:33 pm IST
