The first season of ‘Gullak’, a show created by The Viral Fever or TVF, came out in 2019. Its fifth season has dropped today on Sony LIV. When a show has been around for more than half a decade and witnessed multiple seasons, quite literally, one can be sure about it leaving an indelible impact on the audience.
Over multiple seasons, the audience invested themselves in the Mishra family and the different situations they go through in their lives. In this new season, they get to meet the Mishra family again. This time, however, they will see an old character with a new face. Vaibhav Raj Gupta, who essayed the part of Anand/Annu Mishra, could not be a part of the new season. The same character has now been played by Anantvijay Joshi.
Anant has been one of the most interesting actors to have arrived in the Hindi entertainment space in the last few years. From portraying Yogi Adityanath in the biopic ‘Ajey’ (2025) to playing a district court manager with a heart of gold in the Netflix series ‘Maamla Legal Hai’ (2024-26), one has seen the actor play a wide range of characters in a short span of time. This, however, is the first time the actor is playing a part in a show which was essayed by another actor in the earlier seasons.
In this interview, Anant talks about stepping into the world of ‘Gullak’, collaborating with TVF, the challenges involved in playing a character already popularized by another actor, favourite character from the show, upcoming projects and more.
For four seasons, the audience saw Vaibhav Raj Gupta play Annu. Has your interpretation of the character been any different from that of Vaibhav?
No two actors would interpret a character in the same way. Every actor, rather every human being, has their own uniqueness and that is what they bring to the table. The makers of the show are the same. They had designed this character in a certain way and they would not change it because the actor has changed. The core of the character has remained the same.
Have you been a viewer of the show?
Yes, I have always been a fan of the show as an audience. That is one of the reasons why being a part of it now is such a special feeling.
What was your first reaction when you were first offered the show?
I could not believe it at first! It was a huge opportunity for me. I was very excited at the prospect of being a part of such a successful show. Annu is a bit rebellious. He is somebody who always takes the initiative as far as bringing some change in the family’s life is concerned. It is a layered character. I have been a fan of TVF since the time they started putting out content on YouTube. I was very happy to finally get an opportunity to collaborate with them. I am very grateful to them for trusting me with a popular character like Annu Mishra. Working with some amazing co-actors like Jameel (Khan) sir, Geetanjali (Kulkarni), Harsh (Mayar), Sunita ma’am and Helly was one of the perks of doing this show. I felt like I was a part of a tribe I belonged to. I feel privileged to be a part of ‘Gullak’.
In an interview, you have stated that your favourite character from the show is ‘Bittu Ki Mummy’ played by Sunita Rajwar.
You get attracted to things which you don’t have. I have always loved the energy of the character. My character does not have the kind of energy Bittu Ki Mummy has. There are so many interesting facets to her character. She likes to get involved in the lives of her neighbours. She exaggerates things and describes things in such an interesting manner. She is extremely funny and interesting. Sunita ma’am is such a wonderful actor. As an audience, I have always enjoyed her presence on the screen. Whenever she does something, it stands out.
Most of the characters you have played so far have been quite likeable and positive. You, however, harbor the desire to play a hardcore criminal in a project.
Yes, that’s right! As an actor, there is a lot of fun in exploring characters that are very complex in nature. Criminal minds tend to be very intriguing. Their reasons behind committing crimes are often very fascinating. Exploring and portraying a character with a twisted mind would be very interesting.
The audience gets to see Annu Mishra in a new face and form in this time. What kind of feedback are you hoping for?
I always look forward to the audience’s feedback. Whether positive or negative, feedback gives you something to work on. It might teach you something you didn’t know about yourself. The audience is the ultimate judge. Whatever we make, we make it for the audience. I am well aware of certain realities. When you see a character being portrayed by an actor over multiple seasons, you start associating the character with his face, voice and mannerisms. As human beings, we find it difficult to accept change. The makers and the channel have reacted positively to my performance. Now, I am waiting to see how the audience responds to it.
What are you doing next?
I have shot for a Netflix series called ‘Chumbak’ which will come out soon. It is produced by Hats Off Productions and is a sitcom. We have not seen many such shows in the streaming space. I play a Parsi character in the show. Shooting for this show was great fun. I have also shot for a film which has been directed by Laxman Utekar sir.