We recently connected with KOUSHIK and have shared our conversation below.
KOUSHIK, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Keeping the creativity alive constantly, is a huge challenge. But it is not big deal when you truly love your work. If your work is your creativity, then by keeping it alive you are actually keeping yourself alive. Being an actor, I am always thriving to create projects that will take me to the next level. An actor is a storyteller. How you tell a story matters. I am always trying to find a new angle to tell a story and trying to find a hidden message in the story that was previously unknown. This not only creates interest for me in my work but also motivates me to do better.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an actor and I focus on comedy. I have trained in improvisation and sketch comedy. I write comedy too. Comedy is completely dependent on the delivery of it. And the delivery depends on timing, also known as, “comedic timing”. I am blessed to be born with a great comedic nature and a comedic timing. I see comedy in everything. No matter how serious the matter is, there is always comedy in it. You just have to have the right eye to look for it.
I have worked in TV shows such as, “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” and “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman”. I have a recurring role in a highly popular web series called, “Mani”. I have been in multiple productions for hugely popular Dhar Mann Productions. I have a leading role in a comedy film, “F-Listers” which will hit the theaters sometime this year.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
If I have to specify three qualities that set me apart from other people were, persistence, hard work and risk taking.
Persistency is probably the most important factor in life to be successful. There are many talented people around us but only a few succeed. The main reason for that is persistence. Only if you are persistent on a particular thing, there will be a day you will achieve the success you longed for. Just having talent is not enough for achieving success.
Hard work is always inter connected with persistence. There can be no persistence if you are not working hard towards it. So you have to work hard to be persistent in chasing your dream. I have always worked very hard to achieve what I wanted. I still work harder than most other folks in my level to get to the next level.
Knowing when to take risk is a special talent. We may be be born with it but by doing it time to time we will acquire the skill set. Risk taking is extremely important to progress further and to go ahead of the peers. I have taken many risks in my life and in my career. However, all my risks were calculated and well thought of. Each of them have taken me one step forward in my career.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The main obstacle for me is the dilemma between the actor and the filmmaker in me. My actor self wants to take-up all auditions that I receive from my agents, do acting classes and shows. However, my filmmaker self wants to write feature films, produce them and direct them. It is extremely tough to find the time to satisfy both the creative urges in me.
Being primarily an actor, I do want to maintain my acting career. However, writing and filmmaking are my newborn love. I do want to pursue that for my own happiness. I have kind of found a compromise in that. Although I am not taking any time out from my acting endeavors, I am slowly trying to progress in my filmmaking career with baby steps. Hoping one day both my artistic nature would merge to be one.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @indianinhollywood
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/indianinhollywood
