Inspector Anivash actor Rajniesh Duggal: Taking a step back for a big leap

Actor Rajniesh Duggal was on a shooting spree since the pandemic and has had multiple releases as well. Now, however, he’s cautious about signing new projects in a bid to leap forward.
“It’s tough for me to sit and wait as I have been working back-to-back. In the last four years, I’ve done many projects,” he says.
“Sirf dosti mein, sharaf mein aur sambhando ke khaatir kaam nahin karna hai ab. I don’t want to make a wrong choice and regret it later. I have realised that to make a big leap I must take a step back,” says the actor who’s visiting Lucknow.
The actor explains: “After the shoot, if a project does not release or is extremely delayed, or is streamed on a platform where it does not reach masses, then there’s no point. Release ho aur pata hi na is a very dangerous space. It does no good, rather dents one’s career. So, I am careful about signing new projects and cautiously gauging all factors, including production aspects.”
He is waiting for his big-ticket projects to come out.
“It’s important that the projects get a good release and they do well. That’s the reason why I am slowing down a bit and waiting for projects such as the second season of Inspector Avinash and my international project Postcard, which I shot in Nigeria and will have a global release. Besides, I have completed Ghost Thesis, feature film Bagawat, and murder-mystery web series Happy Birthday of which we have already shot two seasons.”
The actor adds: “I see myself doing better in a different league. So I am not restricting myself to English, Hindi, Punjabi or anything. People know me more for my hit films 1920 (2008) and Ek Paheli Leela (2015) or as a winner of Khatron Ki Khiladi-7 (2015) and the Mr India (2003) title. I want to be known for my recent work. Thankfully, Inspector Avinash (2023) and Video Cam Scam gave me that high and I want to build upon that.”
His last OTT release (VCS) will soon get a second season. “The response is very good and it has crossed 200 million views in over a month. We will soon shoot the second season as well. We will start the shooting of a social-drama film, Jagriti, after the elections in Lucknow,” he says on a signing-off note.