A Bollywood-to-Hollywood Leap with a Twist

If you ever needed proof that confidence, quick thinking, and a dash of creative improvisation can change your life — actor Priyanshu Painyuli’s journey from Indian cinema to Netflix’s Hollywood action-thriller Extraction is the perfect example.

Best known for playing the charming yet pivotal Robin in Mirzapur and the masked crusader in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, Priyanshu stunned fans when he appeared as the menacing Amir Asif, a Bangladeshi crime lord, opposite Chris Hemsworth in the Russo Brothers-produced Extraction. But the way he landed the role? Absolutely unconventional.

The Audition That Wasn’t Supposed to Be

Recalling the story with a laugh, Priyanshu revealed that Tess Joseph, the film’s casting director, initially thought he was Bengali. The requirement was for a mature villain in his 50s, with a Bangladeshi background. Priyanshu, nowhere close to those specifications, honestly told Tess he wasn’t Bengali. She said she’d get back to him — and for most actors, that might have been the end of the road.

But Priyanshu decided otherwise. “I thought, why not give it a shot?” And so began an extraordinary audition hustle.

Faking a Dialect, Owning the Role

Armed with determination, Priyanshu reached out to his friend, actor Ronjini Chakraborty (Tumbbad), to help with the Bengali lines. Despite never having spoken the language before, he recorded voice notes, practised the dialect, and prepared two sharp audition scenes — one in Bengali and one in English.

The gamble paid off. His confident body language and commanding screen presence impressed none other than Joe Russo, who personally picked him for the role. In Priyanshu’s own words, “They loved the attitude. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t Bengali — it was about how I carried the character.”

From Marvel Fan to Marvel Alumni

What makes this achievement even sweeter is that just six months before the Extraction call, Priyanshu had watched Avengers: Endgame as an ardent Marvel fan. “I was obsessed with Marvel. Then suddenly, I was shooting with Chris Hemsworth,” he recalled.

This surreal leap — from fanboy to sharing screen space with Thor himself — felt like a plot twist straight out of a Marvel script.

A Career Built on Bold Choices

Priyanshu’s career arc — from Bhavesh Joshi Superhero to Mirzapur, Extraction, and Rashmi Rocket — proves that sometimes, waiting for the “perfect role” isn’t the answer. Instead, it’s about grabbing opportunities, bending the rules, and believing in your own abilities enough to take risks.

His Bengali bluff wasn’t just a linguistic trick; it was a display of dedication, adaptability, and readiness to push beyond typecasting.

The Takeaway

For aspiring actors, Priyanshu Painyuli’s Extraction story is more than entertaining trivia; it’s an inspiring reminder that the film industry rewards those willing to go the extra mile — or in his case, learn an entirely new language overnight.

From the lanes of Mirzapur to the high-octane world of Marvel’s extended creative universe, his journey stands as proof that sometimes, you don’t wait for the perfect audition — you make it perfect yourself.

Read Also: Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra — Dulquer Salmaan’s Mythology Meets Marvel Spectacle This Onam

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