The series 'Rakh,' based on a criminal case, attracted viewers with its dangerous villains, such as Babu and Rajjo. Akshak Makhija played the role of the main antagonist, Babu. The recent popularity he gained for this role sparked interest in how the actor's life has changed. He shared details in an exclusive interview for Aajtak Dot In.
How did the series 'Rakh' affect his career?
After playing Babu in the series 'Rakh,' Akshak received significant recognition. However, according to him, this did not lead to drastic changes in his life, as he was already working before. He noted that for the last thirteen to fourteen years, he has been an active actor, participating in various projects, including television series, episodic shows, 'Crime Patrol,' 'Gram Chikitsalaya,' and AIDS awareness projects.
He also mentioned that he acted in Nirmala Patak's show 'Ghar Wapsi' and worked with Rajkumar Rao in the film 'Bhool Chook Maaf.' The actor explained that the main difference is that when a show becomes popular and is actively discussed, people start recalling his previous works, allowing them to see him as a consistent artist.
Nevertheless, he admitted that the role for which he was highly praised became his recognizable image, and now people often refer to him specifically as 'the actor from Rakh.' He added that his commercial value is gaining recognition in the industry, and he receives many calls.
New opportunities after 'Rakh'
Akshak feels that a new race has begun in his life after the release of the series 'Rakh.' He believes that a person changes their priorities at any stage of life. Previously, his goal was to get any performance or job, but now he strives for higher quality scripts. He emphasized that the race never ends, even for the most famous actors.
How did he get the role of dangerous 'Babu'?
Akshak Makhija was not the initial choice of the creators of the series 'Rakh.' He had to go through a selection process among 800 candidates. Speaking about how he got the role, he revealed that he was on the set of 'Gram Chikitsalaya Season 1' when a casting agency called him regarding 'Rakh.' The agency mentioned the 'Ranga-Bill' case but clarified that they were not showing the actual case, only using it as inspiration for the eight-episode show.
He traveled to Mumbai for the audition. After the audition, there was a silence of two or three months until he passed the initial screening in December, and in February, he was informed that he was on the shortlist. It was announced that all selected actors would undergo a masterclass, followed by another audition. Among the 14 candidates for the role of Babu were exceptionally talented actors.
Searching for a new face for the role of 'Babu'
Akshak noted that none of the 14 candidates for the role of Babu were widely known. The reason was that the creators were looking for a fresh face that had not previously attracted much attention. Director Prosit (Roy) had a specific type in mind that was not overly popular. After the masterclass, three actors made it into the final shortlist. Initially, he was rejected because another actor from that team was chosen. Then, he was invited again for a meeting with the team, which lasted about three hours, and ultimately, he was accepted into the project.
The actor added that he probably joined the project last. He did not know in advance that Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, or Rakesh would be in it. He learned about all these actors and the content of the show only on the day the script reading began, as he initially only had a script from two auditions, and all details were revealed to him during the work process.
How did he embody the character of Babu-Gobind?
Akshak Makhija recently played two major roles—Babu and Gobind—for which he put immense effort into language work. He stressed that adapting to these roles was not easy and required serious effort. He stated that mastering the language for both characters was challenging for him.
