‘Space Gen: Chandrayaan’ actor Nakkul Mehta has shared that his first step into films did not lead to his on-screen debut. He said the Telugu project he started with never made it to the public, turning what should have been an introduction into a reboot. The experience, he added, showed him from the beginning that an acting career can change without warning. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Mehta recalled that phase and spoke about the pressure, the confusion that came with starting out and how time has reshaped what success means to him. He traced his journey from the Southern film industry to theater, advertising and, finally, television, calling it unconventional and deeply instructive.Speaking to India Today, Mehta reflected on how his first step into films came before television and did not give the launch he expected. The experience, he said, forced him to confront discomfort, isolation and self-doubt very early in his career.
Career beginnings in southern cinema and the first fights
Mehta shared that his journey as an actor began with a Telugu project that never made it to the public. “I started my career with a Telugu film that was never released, one of those plays,” he said. At the time, he was in Hyderabad for months with little to do, watching films and observing the industry from the outside. He remembered seeing Shriya Saran approaching closely. “When I went to Hyderabad, Shriya Saran was the name everywhere. She was probably just starting out then, but she was a big hit right away.”The contrast remained with him. “Then I went back to the theater, did some advertising and found my way. She, on the other hand, has worked steadily and has been doing it for 25 years. That’s the difference.”Mehta admitted that the Telugu film was a tough experience. “Making a film from the South was very difficult for me because I didn’t know the language. The circumstances in which we made that film were challenging and I felt like I had no allies or support.” He emphasized that it was about people, not the industry itself.
How Nakkul Mehta defines success today
Looking back, Mehta said acting was not a clear calling at first. “At first, I wasn’t even sure why I wanted to be an actor,” he said, adding that he liked entertaining people, but at first he lacked a purpose.That changed over time. “After that experience, I realized that I enjoyed some of the life between the ‘action’ and the ‘cut’.” Television helped him grow. “Somewhere along the way I discovered the pleasure of doing a scene well.”Today success is personal. “A show or a movie may not reach people, but what I felt that day was a success for me.” He added: “If you can have two or three great days where you personally feel like you did the best you could, that’s success.”Mehta also spoke about learning and longevity. “It’s about constantly learning,” he said, calling Shreya Saran his inspiration. “If I can keep that spirit, I think I would have done well, honestly.”‘Space Gen: Chandrayaan’ chronicles ISRO’s journey from the failure of the Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander in 2019 to the historic soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the south pole of the Moon. Across five episodes, scientists face scrutiny, limited resources, and COVID-era disruptions as they redesign the lander. The ending captures the tense descent and success at Shiv Shakti Point.
