Exclusive! U-Turn actor Priyanshu Painyuli recalls the appreciation he received for Rock On 2

Actor Priyanshu Painyuli, who is starring opposite Alaya F in director Arif Khan’s upcoming thriller film U-Turn on ZEE5, has recently spoken about the appreciation and encouragement he received after the release of the Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer Rock On (2016), in which he played a small part. 

“I think when we are starting our journey as an actor, especially in Bollywood, we need a certain amount of appreciation. My first prominent work in Hindi cinema was in the film Rock On 2. I know that a lot of people did not watch the film and somehow it did not work, but it remains a special film to me. I had a small part to play (actually, I had only four scenes in it). I remember during our first screening, before the interval, Purab Kohli’s mother asked me what kind of character I am playing - like a drunkard or stalker guy. But after watching those two scenes, at the end of the screening, she told me that she felt so bad for Rahul Sharma (the name of his character name in the film),” Priyanshu told OTTplay.

Adding to that, the actor said, “I started getting good projects only after the release of Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. But when you start working and even the smallest part you play in an ensemble cast gets noticed, it is really encouraging and helps to understand that yes, you are on the right path!”

In Rock On 2, Priyanshu narrated the character of Rahul Sharma - a budding musician, who despite putting in a lot of effort fails to succeed in his career and eventually commits suicide.

Also known for his work in films and web series like Rashmi Rocket, Once Again, Mirzapur and Extraction, Priyanshu will also appear in Ishaan Khattar and Mrunal Thakur-starrer war drama, Pippa.

Releasing on ZEE5 on April 28, U-Turn is an adaptation of writer-director Pawan Kumar’s 2018 Kannada supernatural thriller film by the same name.