Before moving to the city of dreams, actor Gagan Arora was a Delhi University student who, like many others, found contentment while performing with peers from the Dramatics society in his college. “We used to have a blast. We would go to other colleges to perform, meet new people, see how other teams work,” shares Arora, an alumnus of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (Evening).
Even though Arora—who is still riding high on the success of his latest web-series 'The Fame Game' headlined by seasoned actor Madhuri Dixit—moved to Mumbai for his post-graduation at Xavier Institute of Communications and has been residing there since then for work, he still calls Delhi home. “This is a place that has given me so many things,’ he mentions as his voice fills with a hint of nostalgia.
Foraying into acting
A memory that Arora reminisces about his childhood is of him and his family visiting India Gate on summer nights. “We spent a lot of quality time around that place, the inner circle of India Gate. There were all these vendors and we would buy ice cream; it was really special,” recounts the 28-year-old.
Arora started working in Bollywood as an assistant director on the sets of the horror-comedy Stree and then forayed into acting with College Romance, a web-series about three friends from the same college. Delhi, Arora shares, has not only stirred his interest in acting but has also helped him hone the craft. “I have been a keen observer since I was young, I love observing people. Here [in Delhi], you find characters in every nook and corner,” he comments.
In fact, Arora admits that his portrayal of the character ‘Bagga’—a West Delhi boy—from his debut series, College Romance, was inspired by his experiences in Delhi. “I used to see all of them [individuals like his character Bagga] in my college. I just kept observing them and I would note how these guys operate. All of my characters, somehow, come from my experiences in the city,” he adds.
No place like home
‘Candid’ and ‘personal’ are the words Arora uses to describe his relationship with Delhi. The actor mentions meeting some of his closest friends in this city. “My entire circle is from Delhi, all my friends…friends for life,” he exclaims, adding that he keeps visiting his home in East Delhi and his friends from time to time.
“I have had all my firsts here; my first girlfriend, my first set of friends, my first bunking experience (laughs). It’s a personal relationship; that’s why I am very possessive about this city,” he concludes.
QUICK FOUR
Favourite street food: Chilli Potatoes
Favourite monument: Purana Qila, I proposed to my wife there
Favourite place to hangout: Any of my friends’ home
What has the city given you: Confidence especially in public speaking and acting, and friend