Meet Kaushal Patel | Voiceover Artist & Actor

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

Hi Kaushal, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in India, and was raised and brought up in India and partially also in the United States as well. When I look back at my upbringing, I am so glad that I got to experience living in India. Growing up there, I was able to develop fluency in Hindi and Gujarati, which are languages from India. As a voice actor, it helps a lot to know multiple languages, and there have been a few instances where I got to use those languages for voiceover jobs.

Growing up, however, didn’t come without its hiccups. For instance, I was a very shy and quiet kid. I remember I used to be pretty mad at myself for not being able to get the courage to open up during social situations. And this is partly the reason why I chose to study acting at university. It’s because I wanted to get over that hurdle, and make friends and talk to people easily. And yeah, studying acting and going up to perform in front of people did help me a lot to become better at social situations.

I would have never imagined that my upbringing would have had this much of a positive impact on my career and life. Especially the cultural aspect, and being able to use languages that I learnt as a kid to get work in the industry. So, yeah, I am really grateful for all the doors my upbringing has opened up for me. And I am also grateful that I got to grow up in a different part of the world, which in turn has allowed me to recognize opportunities as they come and not take them for granted.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a multilingual voiceover artist and actor and I work in English, Hindi, and Gujarati. I have voiced and acted in several types of projects like animated shorts/series, audio dramas, commercials, short films, video games, e-learning videos, podcast series and much more. I have worked with companies like: Aural Stories, Praxis Labs, TenderfootTV, and Pocket Arena. And in the world of voiceover, there are so many niches, but if I had to pick my favorite, it would be animation/character work. Maybe because there is a lot of room to play with that kind of work and it also indulges my inner child.

As a kid, I used to watch cartoons and think that voice actors have the best job in the world. However, I never really thought about pursuing it. It wasn’t until I took this voiceover class in college that I started to really consider it as a career choice.

Starting out in this career was not easy at all. There’s a lot that goes into it when you do this professionally. It’s a separate niche in the realm of acting, and you have to learn the ins and outs of the industry, figure out where to find auditions, build yourself up in order to land an agent, get versed with audio equipment, get some basic understanding and experience of audio engineering, and so much more that goes into it. While all of it seemed to be a big hurdle, I just kept asking myself everyday “okay, what is it that you can do today that will get you one step closer to achieving your goals?” So, rather than the big goal, I just focused on the day-to-day smaller steps. And soon enough, I saw my career taking off bit by bit. Things started to happen for me. For instance, my booking ratio got better over time, I managed to get 2 agents, and more people/clients reached out to me directly with audition requests or roles.

I’ve learnt some really valuable lessons so far with this journey, and if I had to narrow it down, it would come down to a person’s will and resolve. It is crucial that you stick it out through the rough times, and focus on taking the next step rather than being skeptical of the ultimate goal.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmm, let’s talk food first. It isn’t hard to find good food here in LA, because it’s all around you. As a matter of fact, the best burgers I’ve ever had is from this place called “The Win-dow,” which is located in Venice. Then there is Al’s Hot Chicken if you’re in the mood for some chicken sandwiches. And then, street tacos are a must if you’re visiting LA. People come to LA for the weather, and so hanging out at the beach should be on everyone’s list. There’s the classic Venice and Santa Monica beach, but if you’re looking for something more lowkey, I highly recommend checking out Playa Del Rey beach. I’d even put driving to Malibu on the agenda, since that drive on the PCH is a must.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people in my life that deserve credit and recognition. But first of all, shoutout and many thanks to my mom and dad, who really supported me and sacrificed so much just so I could go pursue the life I want. Would also like to take this opportunity to give a shoutout to my extended family, professors, and of course my friends. I am super grateful for the people in my life, who have been there for me through thick and thin.

Website: https://www.kaushalpatelva.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialkaushalpatel

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kaushalpatelvo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaushalPatel_VA

Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13488163/