CHASING BLUE SKIES

MIHIR AHUJA SHARES HIS JOURNEY WITH SRIJANI ROY CHOWDHURY

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Mihir Ahuja wasn't always the star we see today. No, like every other middle-class kid, he once dreamt of a MBA degree and other 'normal' things.

A life that fits in the neatly packed box of expectations.

But somewhere along the way, in the very heart of his B.Com routine, something changed. He realised that he didn't want to follow the crowd. His ambition, as real as it was, felt like it had no clear direction at first. "I was always drawn to the performing arts.

I loved being on stage, I loved entertaining people but I never really knew how I'd get there. I had no background in films, no connections, just a dream and a lot of hard work," he reflects. And yet, despite the waves of doubt that threatened to drown him, he kept swimming. And finally, there it was: his big audition for The Archies.

He wasn't offered just any role. It was Jughead Jones. A character millions had grown up with, a symbol of teenage rebellion, of having an insatiable appetite for hotdogs and well... the ever-present beanie. "I knew I had to do justice to that while also bringing my own interpretation to the character," Mihir shares.

It wasn't just about playing a role, it was about stepping into a legacy. To be Jughead.

To live him. And boy, did he. From the effortless slouch to the quirky charm, Mihir became the very soul of the character.