Vijay Krishna Acharya: Kanpur has made me what I am today

The Dhoom 3 director remembers the days spent in Kanpur and credits his home town for his success.
Born in Kanpur, director Vijay Krishna Acharya was clear right from the start about what he wanted to do in life – pursue his dream of making a name for himself in Bollywood. And so he left Kanpur at the age of 18 and shifted to Delhi, where he dabbled in theatre before finally shifting base to Mumbai.In town to attend a function in his alma mater, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Krishna talked about memories of his hometown.
Kanpur to Bollywood
“Kanpur has made me what I am today,” says Acharya, who has also written the dialogues of Raavan, Tashan, Dhoom and Pyaar Ke Side Effects. “I always wanted to be in Bollywood and the first step towards that was by participating in school plays. I would get awards for my acting and that motivated me to get into Bollywood. My teacher in school, Mehfooz Aslam, always motivated me to participate in plays and he would guide me in my acting. In 1986 I went to study at the Delhi University and that’s where I took up theatre seriously. Later, I moved to Mumbai and after an initial struggle I managed to bag Dhoom 3 as director.”
ALSO READ: 7 reasons why we love Dhoom series
Places like Kanpur and Lucknow have a lot of talent
Vijay, who started his career in Bollywood as an assistant with director Kundan Shah during the making of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, feels that places like Kanpur and Lucknow have a lot of talent and all that is required is the right platform for such people. “People seldom get the right platform or direction. I have seen a lot of people who did not get the right place to showcase their talent. Local theatre groups can do wonders in grooming hidden talent in these cities. I am willing to come to Kanpur and Lucknow to conduct workshops and guide people and extend any help they want to find their way in Bollywood. With Zee Cine Star Ki Khoj I made an attempt to spot talented people who do not come frrom a filmi background and promote them as best as I could,” says Vijay.
I miss Kanpur
Vijay might be busy with work in Mumbai but he misses Kanpur and the days spent in the city. “I really miss Kanpur. I am very fond of the rasgullas of Ghosh Sweets. I miss strolling in Naveen Market and on Mall Road. I have a lot of friends here, and whenever I come home, I make it a point to meet them and relive those good ol’ days,” says Vijay.
LISTEN: Songs of Dhoom 3 on Gaana.com
Follow TOI Entertain on Twitter >>> @ TOIEntertain
Like TOI Entertain on Facebook >>> TOIEntertain
WATCH: Dhoom:3 - Heads To Tokyo International Film Festival