Panchayat Actor Durgesh Kumar Recalls His Struggle: 'Battled Depression Twice In 11 Years'

Durgesh Kumar, also known as Bhushan from the Amazon Prime series ‘Panchayat,’ has been making waves with his exceptional acting. In a recent conversation with Lallantop, he opened up about his challenging journey, sharing that he experienced depression twice over the span of 11 years. Additionally, Durgesh expressed his gratitude for the increasing number of opportunities coming his way since his remarkable performance in ‘Panchayat.’

Durgesh Kumar, originally from Darbhanga, Bihar, recently opened up to Lallantop about the multifaceted challenges of pursuing a career in acting. He emphasized, “You need to be prepared psychologically, physically, mentally, emotionally and economically to be an actor. I have suffered depression twice in 11 years. Unless you are not psychologically, economically and mentally healthy, please don’t come in the acting field. I am being brutally honest about it.”

Sharing more insights, Durgesh highlighted the demanding nature of the film industry for newcomers. He candidly described, “This is no place to try. This place is filled with crazy people. All the successful people you see today, including Manoj Bajpayee and Pankaj Tripathi, who were my seniors at the National School of Drama or even Nawazuddin Siddiqui, they are all half crazy people, nobody discloses this.”

For those unfamiliar, Durgesh Kumar’s character was introduced in the second season of the Amazon Prime series ‘Panchayat’. Known as Banrakas in the series, he portrays Bhushan, an ambitious character aiming to become the pradhan, frequently clashing with the incumbent pradhan played by Raghubir Yadav.

Durgesh’s cinematic journey began with a debut in Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Highway.’ He has appeared in films such as ‘Sultan,’ ‘Freaky Ali,’ ‘Dhadak,’ and ‘Janpath Kiss,’ but it was ‘Panchayat’ that truly brought him into the spotlight. Recently, he has been seen in films like ‘Laapataa Ladies’ and ‘Bhakshak.’ ‘Panchayat’ also features notable actors like Raghubir Yadav, Chandan Roy, Faisal Malik, and Ashok Pathak, among others.

The News18 Showsha review of the same read, “In essence, while the culmination of this season may have left some yearning for more and witnessed a subtle shift in its narrative essence, Panchayat 3 persevered in upholding its intrinsic charm—striking a delicate balance between humour, entertainment, and the uncharted depths of emotion waiting to be explored. As the expansive canvas of Phulera continues to expand with each passing season, the tantalizing prospect of uncharted territories beckons, promising a future brimming with untold tales waiting to unfold, leaving audiences eager to unravel the mysteries that lie ahead.”