Ankur Bhatia: I have always wanted to be part of an intense actioner

Ankur Bhatia

Life has not been a walk in the park for Ankur Bhatia, whose left his cushy job in finance for a Bollywood career. His journey in the entertainment world surely had its ups and downs, but that didn't deter the actor from making his mark. "I did not have formal training in acting, nor had I done theatre. My failures have taught me to become a better actor. But I won't change anything about my journey," says Bhatia, who credits his wife for supporting him financially while he experimented with acting.

Post Ram Madhvani's Aarya, things turned around for Bhatia, who now is enjoying the opportunity to pick and choose his roles. He is convinced that "people have begun to notice my craft". He says, "It is the correct time for me. Had this happened any sooner, I probably would have made wrong choices. I cherish the position I am in today. It allows me to make the right decisions rather than grabbing any opportunity that comes my way."

Bhatia, Iqbal Khan, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Saqib Saleem on the set of Crackdown

Having wrapped up the shoot of the second instalment of Crackdown that showcases him as Tariq, he says, "The action, thrill and drama in the second season is on another level. I was surprised by what we were filming and the locations - Rajasthan, Kashmir, among others - we picked to shoot at. I have always wanted to be part of an intense actioner, and Crackdown gave me that chance."

Bhatia is also gearing up to play a wacky character in Ali Abbas Zafar's Bloody Daddy that also features Shahid Kapoor. While he is not allowed to divulge much, the actor says, "I have always been a fan of Ali Abbas Zafar's work. It was sheer delight to collaborate with him. The film has been nothing short of a joyride for me."