MX Player has released its latest web-series after the super success of Aashram Chapter 2. The new series titled ‘Beehad Ka Baghi’ has a debutant actor Dilip Arya essaying the lead character of Shiv Kumar Patel aka Dadua, a dreaded dacoit of Bundelkhand. The web series available in multiple Indian languages has been able to attract a lot of viewers and people are appreciating not only the narrative but also the performance essayed by Dilip.
Hailing from a small village Amauli in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh where his father worked as a mason, Dilip’s story to tinsel town has been of grit and perseverance. “After my father passed away at the age of 11, I started doing menial jobs while my mother worked as a farm labourer. Later, to earn a better living I joined a tailoring shop and also kept my studies going” says Dilip, reminiscing his childhood days. Now, a postgraduate from Kanpur University and also an alumnus of Bhartendu Natya Akademi, Lucknow, Dilip’s dream was to join the National School of Drama (NSD) so he moved to Delhi. “I started doing theatre with a local group there and also worked with NK Sharma’s group for a while. Later, I applied for NSD and went all the way to the last round which is the workshop. Well-known actors Pankaj Tripathi and Inamul Haq were also there in my group at that time in the workshop,” shares Dilip. “But BNA was the place which gave me wings to fly high. I learned all the nuances of acting from some very learned teachers which paved the way to where I am today,” shares the actor. His dream to enter films took him to Mumbai. He got his first break as the protagonist in this web series and his role is being highly appreciated by the audiences.
Talking about his preparations for the role, he says, “It took around four years to prepare and I even spent a lot of time in and around the area of Bundelkhand to understand the character more closely. I also spent time with the bandits in Beehad had to understand the nuances of the role. Dacoit based films like Sholay, Pan Singh Tomar, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Sonchiriya and Bandit Queen have been cult hits; I hope this series also becomes a benchmark in the digital space.”
The UP born actor now has his hands full but the projects have been delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “It’s really heart-warming, and I am really thankful to everyone for giving me so much love and appreciation. It’s nice to see your hard work is appreciated and I hope that leading filmmakers notice my work and allow me to explore myself further as an actor,” says a grateful & humble Dilip as he signed off for the moment.