Priyanshu Painyuli: Packed on kilos for role

Citing that most CEOs are pot-bellied, Priyanshu Painyuli discusses preparing for Upstarts, based on entrepreneurs

Pulling off acclaimed acts even in less-acclaimed films, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero actor Priyanshu Painyuli has trained his focus on his upcoming Netflix offering, Upstarts. "The film revolves around hope, passion and self-belief. It follows [an entrepreneur] who believes in his idea, but drifts away from his ideologies. Passionate stories and characters with conflicts interest me a lot," says the actor, who was told to break down the world of start-up owners to do justice to his role. "Given that working on a start-up is full of risks, founders endure a lot, both mentally and physically. Also, since this is a story that hinges on friendship, our director Udai [Singh Pawar] ensured the actors bonded before approaching our parts."

Painyuli interacted with several start-up founders to understand the world of his character, Kapil. "I wanted to learn [how they juggle their] personal life and work. Most of them gave me abundant insights. Also, I had to gain a little weight, because most CEOs are pot-bellied," says the actor, who also immersed himself in business magazines "to understand world, and read interviews of different entrepreneurs."

Painyuli is glad to be part of a project that explores the world of start-up owners, which is seldom done in India. "The only reason we don't make films about this world is because we assume there is less drama in [it], and it looks boring, from the outside."

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