# Abhishek Banerjee (actor)
**Abhishek Banerjee** is an Indian actor and casting director who works in Hindi films and streaming series. He is known for playing Jana in the horror-comedy *Stree* (2018) and its 2024 sequel, and Vishal "Hathoda" Tyagi, the antagonist of the Amazon Prime Video series *Paatal Lok* (2020).[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) • [2](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html) He built his career first behind the camera, co-founding the Mumbai casting company Casting Bay, before the *Paatal Lok* role marked his breakout as an actor.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dual career | Actor and co-founder of Casting Bay, a Mumbai-based audition and casting company run with Anmol Ahuja[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece) |
| Casting breakthrough | Handled the casting of *The Dirty Picture* (2011) alone after director Milan Luthria noticed his work on *Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai* (2010)[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) |
| Breakout roles | Jana in *Stree* (2018) and Vishal "Hathoda" Tyagi in *Paatal Lok* (2020)[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) |
| Training | Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and its Players Theatre Society[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) |
| Move to Mumbai | Shifted from Delhi to Mumbai in 2008[2](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html) |
| 2024 releases | Reprised Jana in *Stree 2* and played a villain in *Vedaa*, with both releasing in the same week[5](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-stree-2-amitabh-bachchan-and-more-69771.html) • [6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html) |
## Early life and education
Banerjee was born in [Kharagpur](https://www.edgepedia.org/kharagpur), West Bengal. He attended nursery and kindergarten in Naktala, then studied at a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi until class four and in Kalpakkam, Chennai, until class nine. He has said he was always strong at sports.[7](https://www.etvbharat.com/english/sitara/tv-and-theater/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-journey-from-being-casting-director-to-actor/na20200608161924699)
At [Kirori Mal College](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirori-mal-college) of the University of Delhi he joined the Players Theatre Society, whose alumni include [Satish Kaushik](https://www.edgepedia.org/satish-kaushik), Sushant Singh, Ali Abbas Zafar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and [Himanshu Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/himanshu-sharma). He credits the society as equivalent to any acting institute, saying it corrected his existing ideas and gave him direction.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4045010/) After graduating he spent two years in Delhi doing odd jobs, including mascot work and teaching theater, before pursuing film work more fully.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) He moved from Delhi to Mumbai in 2008.[2](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html)
## Casting career
His entry into film work came through a small appearance in *Rang De Basanti* in his final year of college, after which he joined as casting assistant to his mentor Gautam Mirchandani on *Dev D*.[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece) Casting began as a part-time activity and became full-time because, in his account, the industry lacked professional casting directors and producers were looking for them.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972)
**The Dirty Picture.** Director Milan Luthria, impressed with his dedication as an associate on *Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai* (2010), recruited him to handle the casting of *The Dirty Picture* (2011) by himself, and a casting career followed from there.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) The success of *No One Killed Jessica* and *The Dirty Picture* as casting projects brought him early recognition.[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece)
**Casting Bay.** He runs the company with his close friend Anmol Ahuja. Its credits include *Secret Superstar*, *The Sky Is Pink*, *Toilet: Ek Prem Katha*, and the series *Panchayat*.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) His wider casting credits span *Bajatey Raho*, *Mickey Virus*, *Umrika*, *Gabbar Is Back*, *Phillauri*, *Kalank*, *Bala*, and *Bhediya*, and the web series *Inside Edge*, *Mirzapur*, *Hostel Daze*, and *Paatal Lok*.[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4045010/) • [7](https://www.etvbharat.com/english/sitara/tv-and-theater/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-journey-from-being-casting-director-to-actor/na20200608161924699) Through Casting Bay he has given early opportunities to actors including [Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub](https://www.edgepedia.org/mohammed-zeeshan-ayyub), Siddhant Chaturvedi, and [Avinash Tiwary](https://www.edgepedia.org/avinash-tiwary).[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html)
## Acting career
His screen career began with a brief appearance in [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan)'s *Rang De Basanti*.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) In 2014 the casting director [Nidhi Bisht](https://www.edgepedia.org/nidhi-bisht) cast him in TVF's *Pitchers*, and his line "Tu Beer Hai" became an internet meme.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) Filmmaker Devashish Makhija then used him in two or three short films and cast him in the feature *Ajji* (2017); after that film, friends who knew him as a casting director began to see him as an actor as well.[7](https://www.etvbharat.com/english/sitara/tv-and-theater/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-journey-from-being-casting-director-to-actor/na20200608161924699)
**Stree and the comic register.** His first notable part was Jana in the 2018 horror-comedy *Stree*.[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html) By 2020 he had been applauded for roles in *Stree*, *Bala*, *Dream Girl* and the [Amazon Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-prime) series *Mirzapur*.[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece) His filmography through 2022 also includes *[Bombay Talkies](https://www.edgepedia.org/bombay-talkies-film)* (2013), *Phillauri* (2017), *Ajeeb Daastaans* (2021), *Rashmi Rocket* (2021) and *Bhediya* (2022).[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4045010/)
**Paatal Lok.** In the nine-episode Amazon Prime Video series *Paatal Lok*, which marked [Anushka Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/anushka-sharma)'s debut as a producer in the digital space, he played Vishal "Hathoda" Tyagi, the series' dark and deeply unsettling antagonist.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) *Bala* and *Paatal Lok* are, by his own count, the only two projects in which he has both acted and worked as casting director.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) The role paved the way for a leading part in the web series *The Great Wedding of Munnes*; India Times reports that the series was a hit and earned him a Filmfare Award for the performance.[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html)
## What has changed since 2023
In 2024 he had back-to-back releases in a single week: a villain role in [John Abraham](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-abraham)'s *Vedaa* and the return of Jana in *Stree 2*, roughly six years after the original film. He described the sequel's success as "an exhilarating rush of ecstasy".[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html) • [5](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-stree-2-amitabh-bachchan-and-more-69771.html)
He also returned to the streaming space as Gautam in Karan Tejpal's film *[Stolen](https://www.edgepedia.org/stolen-2023-film)*, which earned him strong reviews. The film traveled a festival route from Venice to Melbourne, Japan, and China while its makers sought Indian distributors.[2](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html) • [9](https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-interview/) Projects he named for the following slate include *Hisaab* with Vipul Shah, *Section 84*, and *Rana Naidu* season 2.[9](https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-interview/)
## Reception and acting approach
Critics and profile writers frame his range through the distance between his two signature parts: the naive, unassuming Jana and the brutal Hathoda Tyagi, whose role cemented his reputation as a screen villain.[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html) He has said comedy comes close to him naturally, while darker roles such as those in *Mirzapur* demand more effort.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/paatal-lok-actor-abhishek-banerjee-i-stopped-giving-auditions-in-my-late-20s-because-i-was-rejected-so-many-times/story-eT6Yk5mFwA41EKoVvwfz1I.html)
**Preparation.** For Jana he drew on his own early life, spending time with his parents because the part reminded him of being naive, unassuming, and sheltered; his childhood nickname (daak naam) is Gola.[4](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582) Preparing for Hathoda Tyagi was, in his words, physically and mentally draining: he had to live with the character for some time to understand his anger, pain, and brutality.[1](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972) He describes Jana as embodying innocence and purity, a character that resonates deeply with him and keeps him grounded.[5](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-stree-2-amitabh-bachchan-and-more-69771.html) • [2](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html)
His craft talk distinguishes stage from screen. Theatre is about the body, he says: synchronised body movements and the amount of voice thrown at the audience matter because one performs for everyone, while in films one performs for the camera, which allows smaller gestures.[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece) His path was not smooth: he stopped giving auditions in his late 20s because he had been rejected so many times, before the run of *Stree*, *Dream Girl*, *Bala*, *Mirzapur*, and *Paatal Lok* changed his standing.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/paatal-lok-actor-abhishek-banerjee-i-stopped-giving-auditions-in-my-late-20s-because-i-was-rejected-so-many-times/story-eT6Yk5mFwA41EKoVvwfz1I.html)
Profile writers place his trajectory alongside character actors such as [Pankaj Tripathi](https://www.edgepedia.org/pankaj-tripathi), Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaideep-ahlawat), who likewise built reputations in supporting and antagonist parts rather than conventional leads.[6](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html)
## References
1. [Abhishek Banerjee wears dual hats of actor and casting director and is 'Hathoda' Tyagi in Paatal Lok, The Telegraph (India)](https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/interview-abhishek-banerjee-wears-dual-hats-of-actor-and-casting-director-and-is-hathoda-tyagi-in-paatal-lok/cid/1772972)
2. [Abhishek Banerjee gets candid about his roles: Jana of Stree keeps me grounded, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-gets-candid-about-his-roles-jana-of-stree-keeps-me-grounded-it-is-closest-to-my-exclusive-article-13106412.html)
3. [Bollywood actor and casting director Abhishek Banerjee on how Rajinikanth inspired him, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/bollywood-actor-and-casting-director-abhishek-banerjee-on-how-rajinikanth-inspired-him/article30586547.ece)
4. [How Abhishek Banerjee Went From Casting His Own Replacements To Nailing The Role, HuffPost India](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/abhishek-banerjee-paatal-lok-interview_in_5f24624bc5b656e9b09b4582)
5. [EXCLUSIVE: Abhishek Banerjee on Stree 2, Amitabh Bachchan and more, Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-stree-2-amitabh-bachchan-and-more-69771.html)
6. [From Jana to Hathoda Tyagi: Meet Abhishek Banerjee, the actor who conquered minor roles to become a major star, India Times](https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/binge/from-jana-to-hathoda-tyagi-meet-abhishek-banerjee-the-actor-who-conquered-minor-roles-to-become-a-major-star-639822.html)
7. [Exclusive: Abhishek Banerjee on journey from being casting director to actor, ETV Bharat](https://www.etvbharat.com/english/sitara/tv-and-theater/exclusive-abhishek-banerjee-on-journey-from-being-casting-director-to-actor/na20200608161924699)
8. [Abhishek Banerjee, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4045010/)
9. ["Directors Will Find You": Abhishek Banerjee On What It Takes To Come To Bollywood With No Ties, ScoopWhoop](https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/abhishek-banerjee-interview/)
10. [Paatal Lok actor Abhishek Banerjee: 'I stopped giving auditions in my late 20s because I was rejected so many times', Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/paatal-lok-actor-abhishek-banerjee-i-stopped-giving-auditions-in-my-late-20s-because-i-was-rejected-so-many-times/story-eT6Yk5mFwA41EKoVvwfz1I.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames symbols to B*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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