Leap of Faith

Before Abhay Verma ever stood on a film set, he would spend hours watching interviews. Not films, not performances, but conversations. He observed how actors spoke about fear, failure, ambition and patience. Those interviews became his acting school, shaping not just how he wanted to perform, but also how he wanted to live.

- -Siddhant Konduskar

Abhay Verma (27)

Actor

Somewhere between those watch sessions and a belief in manifestation, Verma decided he would one day work with superstar Shah Rukh Khan. He didn't announce or chase it loudly. He simply trusted time. Today, as he prepares for King, a film that brings him closer to the actor he once studied from afar, that belief feels almost predictive.

Raised in Panipat, Verma came to Mumbai knowing that acting was not a traditional career option. It was a leap of faith, he says. “You put a blindfold on and just walk.” What followed were years of featuring in ads, short films and making small appearances, roles many would dismiss as insignificant. Verma never did. “There’s no such thing as a small role,” he tells Forbes India. “Every ad, every second on screen added something to me. If I had missed even one, Munjya wouldn’t have been possible.”