Avinash Tiwary opens up about Laila Majnu! | Bihar to Times Square | Karishma Mehta | Ep 33

“When I came back from film training in New York, I expected a red carpet welcome… But little did I know what the reality would be! For 15 years, I struggled but kept going on. And in 2018, my film with Imtiaz Ali, Laila Majnu, was released. But seeing the film disappear from theatres 3 days after its release, after putting in 3 years of hard work, was heartbreaking…”

Charting a 15-year-old journey, with perseverance and patience, to wait for the recognition and the work to come one’s way isn't easy… But then, Avinash Tiwary, in his own words, will always be ‘the last man standing!’

After training in acting at Barry John’s Acting Studio and then in New York, young and naive Avinash hoped a red carpet welcome awaited him when he moved back to Mumbai! But soon, reality hit. For 15 years, he took up small roles on TV, till he got his big break—a chance to act alongside the legendary Amitabh Bachchan in the TV show Yudh. But somehow, the show failed to create an impact.

And then again, in 2018, his film Laila Majnu, which he spent 3 years working on, disappeared from theatres in 3 days! But Avinash persevered through all those lows, which have now led to a glorious present, as he’s received global recognition for his show ‘Bambai Meri Jaan’, the gangster drama whose posters were seen in Times Square, New York.

Join us in this heartfelt conversation with the incredibly talented Avinash Tiwary, where the actor unravels himself—from his life-changing decision to pivot from engineering to acting to the waiting period of more than a decade; and from receiving appreciation from Amitabh Bachchan to seeing 19-year-old Avinash’s dream come true.

Avinash’s story is not just a story of success—it’s a symbol of hope, inspiration, and the enduring power of dreams… Do not miss it!

We also spoke about:
How the long overdue success feels
His decision to drop out of engineering
When did things change for Avinash?
The best appreciation he received
Avinash’s inspiration
Bambai Meri Jaan billboard in Times Square

#avinashtiwary #bollywood #podcast

TIME STAMPS:
00:00- Precap
00:56- Welcome
01:17- Avinash’s slew of recent successes
01:57- What is it about Engineers?
04:05- How did the pivot to Acting happen?
05:10- Parents’ reaction to his career switch
06:21- How was Avinash so sure of acting?
08:40- Was dropping out a difficult decision?
09:56- The waiting phase
12:07- Beginnings with television
13:12- What kept Avinash going?
14:21- Did Avinash ever feel like giving up?
17:42- When did things change for Avinash?
17:57- Working with Amitabh Bachchan on Yudh
19:31- Laila Majnu
22:03- How was it working with Big B?
25:41- The best appreciation Avinash received
27-18- How has life changed after Bambai Meri Jaan?
28:13- How has the entertainment industry evolved?
29:33- Which actor does Avinash look up to?
31:48- Avinash & his sisters
34:17- Parents’ reaction to his recent successes
36:46- Bambai Meri Jaan billboard at Times Square
39:06- Advice to people facing setbacks
39:48- Thank you
40:05- One-take actor Avinash!

The Humans of Bombay Show, hosted by our CEO and Founder Karishma Mehta, is a Humans of Bombay original where we celebrate real-life heroes. From the single mother who had a baby out of wedlock to a female officer who served the army for 11 years, we want to bring out the extraordinary stories of seemingly ordinary people.
India is a melting pot of stories, and with the Humans of Bombay Show, we want to bring these beautiful stories to you and give you a peek into the unique minds of people who have excelled in their fields.

𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 – 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲!

Links:
Humans of Bombay
Instagram:   / officialhumansofbombay  
Uncovered by Humans of Bombay:    / @humansofbombayuncovered  
LinkedIn:   / mycompany  

Avinash Tiwary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avinashtiwa...

Karishma Mehta
Instagram:   / karimehta05  
LinkedIn:   / karishma-mehta-b22151174  

About Humans of Bombay –
Humans of Bombay is a movement that started 9 years ago. We believe that every person has a story to tell and we want to help them tell these stories. In these years we’ve published stories across genres – stories of love, hope, faith, and courage. And through our storytelling, we’ve built an engaged community of over 5M!

Our idea is simple – to strike a chord with our community and catalog the beat of humanity, one story at a time.