Meet Avik Pandey | Actor, Filmmaker, Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Avik Pandey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Avik, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Asking for what I want. Sense of humor.

1. All of my great mentors have instilled this belief in me – “the greatest obstacle between you and what you want is you asking for it.” It is that simple. I can give this habit other names as well – boldness, proactivity, confidence. Yes, credentials are necessary. Yes, self-work is too. But preparation can be a never-ending pursuit that can quickly become an excuse against actually going for it.

This is one of the traps I can still fall into, and I need to actively remind myself that “more prep” isn’t what’s preventing me from getting my goals. I see many others suffering from the same lack of self-belief. All of them deserve more than what they have, right now, as they are. If they just asked for it, they would have it, but they’re stifled by self-doubt. Only disclaimer I’d put out for this point is this: you should still constantly keep improving, every day. That should be a given. Just don’t let it get in the way of you asking for what you want.

2. Sense of humor is life force. It doesn’t solve your problems but it gives you the strength and perspective to get through them. I’m someone who takes his life and responsibilities very seriously and yet, I laugh at myself, my situations, and my mess-ups. My friends and I turn it all into bits and our improv leads us to creating entire storylines of hilarity. The pain doesn’t cease to exist, but I definitely feel stronger and more capable of dealing with it.

Anxiety, self-doubt, and fear are on the rise and we need to fight them by being our most confident, self-believing, “go-getter”ing, funniest and goofiest selves.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m always telling stories, whether or not I’m making art in the traditional format. I inadvertently find myself world building with those I connect with, creating storylines, hilarious scenarios, singing, doing impressions, improv-ing away. There exist worlds I’ve created with my friends with alternate versions of us and those we know, and those worlds have theme songs, recurring storylines, plot twists, and every time we talk, we build on top of them.

I love organic connections and seeing them on screen. I’m a fan of every genre as long as I’m deeply emotionally invested in the characters. I suppose what sets me apart is my very unique upbringing and all-over-the-place life experiences, and my proclivity to world build on top of them. I learn stories and write stories every day, and I’m thrilled to express them through my films and acting.

It wasn’t easy to get to where I am today, but I had an inordinate amount of help and support. I suppose what I did was shamelessly ask for help, as much as I could, and constantly accept where I was lacking and challenged myself to improve upon it. Some lessons I learnt are: the biggest obstacle between you and what you want is you asking for it, proactively practice gratitude and having a sense of humor, prioritize your mental health like it’s a job, believe in yourself against all odds, and be of service to others, particularly your family, as much as you can, as often as you can.

In terms of projects, I’m thrilled about my first feature film as a lead actor, Lotus, and the short films Are We Still Friends, Malaal, The Beginning of the End, and my short film that I have directed, entitled Mind of a Puppet. Cooking up some incredibly exciting projects right now, projects that I’ll both direct and act in!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Love this question. I’ve lived in LA for four years and I have so much to share.

Without further adieu, let’s start with what’s clearly most important: FOOD!

Some of my favorites: Halal House, Northridge (my top takeout when I was a student at CSUN, along with Dave’s Hot Chicken), Dolcenero Gelato in Santa Monica (my favorite ice cream spot in LA, so far), Crown of India in Hollywood (best butter chicken I’ve had in the U.S., it has my “Delhi boy stamp of approval”), Pizzasaurus Rex in Northridge (“Chef’s kiss”), the taco stand right next to Rock and Roll Ralph’s (the burritos are bomb), Bahn Mi in Northridge (Thai iced tea is delicious), Airoma Cafe in Garden Grove (Two words: Egg Coffee), OTUS (Vietnamese Coffee is ethereal), Les Sisters Southern Kitchen & BBQ (nom nom nom). So many more, but let’s start responsibly.

Now, hang out spots. I’d strongly recommend exploring these through neighborhoods, and one of my favorites is Echo Park: so many fantastic restaurants, bars, and not to mention the beautiful lake. Steep, winding, streets through gorgeous houses. Pedal boating and long walks (especially at night) are stunning in this area. Another favorite is Chinatown, for its fantastic traditional restaurants, gift shops, and just how amazing it looks.

Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, Glendale, Burbank, Studio City: all gorgeous neighborhoods that draw a circumference around iconic and naturally beautiful places like Griffith Park, Hollywood Reservoir, Los Angeles Zoo, Hollywood Bowl… all breathtaking and worth visiting in your one-week trip.

Since most of my time in L.A. has been as a college student, I love exploring different campuses. Pepperdine, UCLA, LMU, and CSUN (I’m biased), gorgeous and sprawling. The Soraya, for its stunning architecture and some of the best performances I’ve seen in my life.

Now, miscellaneous spots that hold in my heart a special place – Laurel Canyon Café (for its desserts and its open mics), Runyon Canyon (for a few weeks in summer of 2023, I’d often run its entire length – it is NOT easy but it’s such a gorgeous trail), Glendale Galleria and The Grove for their vibrance and many memories I’ve made with friends, the outrageously fun Six Flags and Knott’s Berry Farm, and the breathtaking Huntington Library.

And finally, places to party it up in. I’d strongly suggest going to bars and clubs in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Hollywood, and Silver Lake if you’re looking for fun nights out!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to give a few shoutouts.

Jacob Athyal, for being like a brother to me, and his hilarious storytelling.

Amanda Bird, for her thoughtful gifts, quiet referrals to many opportunities, mentorship and kindness.

My dear friends Hari Iyer, Katerina Levandis, Shar Kale, Moose Abdullah and Tyler Johnson, KV Ghuman and Sonal Kawatra, Gica Pucca and Constantin Sieve, all for hosting me last year when I didn’t have my own place for 3 months.

Hari introduced me to one of my 2024 anthems, “Pretty Little Fears” by 6LACK, and possibly some of the best taco stands in Los Angeles. Katerina’s responsible for my love of Goat Milk with my coffee in the morning. Shar taught me the indispensable value of self-worth, Moose and Tyler broadened my filmmaking horizons, KV and Sonal brainstormed my creative goals with me with amazing energy, and Gica and Constantin became two of my dearest friends in LA, friends I’ve shared the screen with in some of my favorite projects.

Website: https://avik-pandey.com

Instagram: @avikpandey

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avik-pandey-1b77b9143/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@avikoflife2002

Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8411252/?ref_=nm_mv_close

Image Credits
1, 7 – Antonio Durame
3 – Chirag Patel
5 – Rithvik Reddy