Vinod Suryavanshi, who played the new Sachiv ji in Panchayat Season 3, recently opened up about his journey in the industry, revealing how he accidentally entered films and the struggles he faced as a junior artist.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Vinod said his entry into acting was purely accidental.“I entered the film industry by mistake. A friend called me and said I could stand in a crowd during a shoot and earn Rs 500,” he said.He added that the basic perks drew him in. “I liked that I got breakfast, lunch, and Rs 500 by the end of the day. It felt like a better job than anything I had done before. So I decided to continue, and that’s how I started working as a junior artist,” he said.Comparing it to his previous job, he added, “As a security guard, I used to earn Rs 8,000 a month for 12-hour shifts. As a junior artist, I started earning Rs 10,000–12,000.”
‘Assistant directors would mistreat us’
Vinod said that while the pay improved, the environment often came with humiliation.“No one speaks properly to junior artists. They are often abused and humiliated. Assistant directors would mistreat us. Big actors never humiliated us,” he said.He also recalled an incident that became a turning point in his life.“Once, I went to eat in someone’s room, and a senior person snatched my plate and asked who I was. When I said I was a junior artist, he told me to eat where the junior artists’ food was served,” he said.When Vinod explained that the food there was over, he was still turned away. “He told me to speak to my coordinator and not eat there. He took away my plate. That hurt me deeply,” he added.“That’s when I decided I had to do something in acting—maybe then I would at least get to sit in a room and eat peacefully,” he said.
Rejected because of his looks
Even after moving towards acting, Vinod said he faced repeated rejection due to his appearance.“I was rejected many times because of my looks. When I gave auditions for TV, they often wanted a ‘rich look’. Even for a beggar’s role, they wanted someone with a rich look. I was told I didn’t fit the requirement,” he said.He added that he was once dropped from a role because of his complexion. “I was selected for a role as a house help. The casting team had finalised me, and I reached on time for the shoot. But when the creative director came, she asked who I was. When they told her, she said no, this won’t work—we need someone with a fair look. He is dark-complexioned, pack him up,” he said.
First break and moving ahead
After years of struggle, Vinod said he finally got his first proper break on television.“My first proper role was in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, where I started earning Rs 2,500 per day, up from Rs 700,” he said.He has since appeared alongside Akshay Kumar in Jolly LLB 3 and was also part of the web series Janaawar.
