In addition to his acting career, Praneet is a graduate of the NSI Access BIPOC Producers program. His producing work includes award-winning shorts that have toured festival circuits, and he is currently developing two ambitious projects: a television adaptation of the celebrated Canadian novel Junie and Raksha, a comedy-musical Indian – Tollywood series about a young South Asian demon hunter.
This summer, he is taking on one of theatre’s most iconic roles as Romeo in Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Parkproduction of Romeo & Juliet, directed by Marie Farsi. With his movie-star charisma and commitment to challenging who gets to lead classical stories, Praneet is breaking boundaries and inspiring the next generation of performers.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Praneet to talk about his vision, his upcoming projects, and how he’s building the kinds of stories worth obsessing over.
Our Exclusive Chat With Praneet Akilla
Exclusive Interview: From SkyMed to Shakespeare: Praneet Akilla Builds Stories That Matter!
Mehak Kapoor: Praneet, welcome to ANOKHI LIFE! It’s great to have you with us!
Praneet Akilla:Thank you, thank you, thanks so much for having me.
Mehak: Let’s talk about Romeo and Juliet first, Praneet.
Romeo is an iconic character, as we all know, and that has been illuminated countless times. What personal nuances or cultural layers are you bringing to him in this production?
Praneet:It’s a great question. I don’t know if I’m even thinking about, you know, layers and those types of things. I think for me, I’m just trying to make him who I used to be. And when I say I used to be, I mean the version of myself with more childlike wonder. I’m a little more grown-up than Romeo in this particular play, but I’m trying to bring in his inner childhood. I’m trying to bring in the feeling of the first time you have a crush, and what that feels like.
Though many other Romeos are doing that, I think I’m just trying to make it what I, Praneet, would have done in that moment. Because this role has been played millions of times, and it will be played millions of times after me. The best thing I can do is bring my energy to it, and it will automatically be unique in that way.
I will say that, unlike other Shakespeare characters, Romeo is all heart, all impulse. And so for me, it’s about trying to lead with that as much as possible, because I, as a person, can be very sort of brainy. So it’s important to me to make sure I lead with my heart.
Mehak: That’s a great answer. So tell me one thing, Praneet, if Romeo were South Asian, what do you think his idea of grand romantic gesture would be?
A Bollywood-style serenade, a big family gathering or maybe something with lots of Italian music?
Praneet: No, no, no. He’s doing full Shah Rukh Khan, like taking out a field of flowers, doing the whole Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam moment. I mean, if you want quintessential romance, that’s it. There’s nothing else, nothing that even comes close to that.
Mehak: Romantic, crazy!
Praneet: It’s funny, I was watching this Aamir Khan movie recently, the one with the song Pehla Nasha in it. I’m forgetting, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, I think, is the name of the movie. But that song is such a perfect encapsulation of Romeo. You know, he in that video is…
Mehak: So, Praneet, I know you’ve done a lot of work across different projects. Let’s talk about your television and film career now.
SkyMed, Allegiance, Nancy Drew, Motherland, October Faction, you’ve built a diverse and impressive screen résumé. Which role has challenged you the most so far, and why?
Praneet: Um, when it comes to film and television, if you’re specifically asking about that, I’d say the most recent project I’ve done, where I play one of the leads, is SkyMed. Yes, there’s the acting itself, you know, the work between “action” and “cut.” But I will also say that being the lead of a show comes with a very different kind of responsibility.
You’re carrying the character for much longer, sometimes over multiple seasons. And as an actor, I’m very hyper-vigilant about character arcs, my emotional place, where I start and end a scene, and how that evolves episode to episode and across the whole season.
It’s also a very stunt-heavy show with a lot of action sequences. I get to play a romantic lead, an action hero, and I get to do things I’ve never had the chance to do in my career until now. So yes, the acting is challenging, but I’m also very aware that in an industry where there isn’t much representation for people like us in meaningful roles like this, I can put a lot of pressure on myself to execute at a high level.
Now that we’re four seasons in and audiences love it, I’ve gotten a lot of personal feedback from fans. For me, it’s about making sure we keep delivering those stories and those characters in a way that resonates.
So, yeah, I don’t know, maybe that’s just me, but I put a lot of pressure on myself. And I think that’s been the biggest challenge so far.
Exclusive Interview: SkyMed’s Praneet Akilla Is the Brown Romeo Canada Didn’t Know It Needed. Akilla In SkyMed. Photo Credit: CBC
Mehak: Beautiful answer!
So, Praneet, how has working with Mari Farsi influenced your approach to Shakespeare’s text and to embodying Romeo?
Praneet: I think Marie is, first of all, a brilliant director. I’ve only just gotten to know her, and even though it’s been just two weeks and we’re still deep into rehearsals, I can already say she’s incredible. She’s very loving and kind, but also pushes for specificity in every moment, really using the words to drive the story.
Exclusive Interview: SkyMed’s Praneet Akilla Is the Brown Romeo Canada Didn’t Know It Needed. Marie Farsi.
We’re not working with any generalities in the show, no big ideas that don’t lead anywhere. Every word has intentionality, and every intention is followed by action. Marie is excellent at demanding hyperspecificity, making sure we truly understand what we’re saying.
Because this is an abridged, 90-minute version of the full play, we have limited time with the audience, and the stakes rise dramatically from scene to scene. The story moves fast, so we have to be very intentional about every scene for the emotions and tension to translate effectively.
Unlike a full-length production, where there’s more time to develop moments, here we have to explore the specifics of what we’re trying to communicate and use the words themselves to propel the story forward. Marie has guided us in doing just that.
Mehak: Ah, nice, it sounds exciting!
Let’s talk about your new production, Raksha, right? Tell us more about Raksha. How did the idea for a South Asian Demon Hunter series, you know, come about, and what are your hopes for it?
Praneet:Yeah, so Raksha is a web series we made with support from the Independent Production Fund, which is a Canadian grant for emerging BIPOC web series creators. I’m half Telugu, my mom is from Hyderabad, so I’m half Tollywood, and my dad’s from Mumbai.
For me, someone like Chiranjeevi, this massive, iconic star from the ’80s, has been a huge inspiration. There’s something about his persona from that era being trapped as a demon, working alongside a Gen Z South Asian girl today. Her parents are full-time demon hunters, but she just wants to be a regular person, trying to find her path. Their family mascot is this Cher and GV Tollywood-style demon, like their house pet. I often liken it to her being Aladdin and the demon being the genie, and together they go demon hunting.
The reason demon hunting came into the story is that I love the genre: horror, thrillers, and fantasy. I love using genre as a vehicle to tell stories, especially around serious themes like grief, depression, mental illness, love, life, and family. A recent example is the movie Sinners, which uses genre to explore those subjects beautifully.
And honestly, I’m a nerd at heart. I love sci-fi, fantasy, and all those things combined. In North America, you rarely see people like us portrayed as badass demon hunters. You might see it in Bollywood, but not here. So whenever I produce, I always strive for that to be my North Star, the kind of stories and characters I want to see and create.
Mehak: Superb! I loved the teaser*. It was intriguing.
Praneet: Yes, we’re still in the development phase. The project has been optioned by a company in the States, so we’re actively working on moving it forward.
Mehak: That’s great. And what have been the biggest lessons or surprises for you coming out of the NSI Access by POC Producers program? What did you learn?
Praneet: I think what I learned most is just how much room there is for collaboration. To give you some context, the program brought together emerging producers from all across the country, producers who often work in their silos or bubbles within their provinces.
In Canada, funding for creative projects can be limited, especially public money from the government. So it’s crucial to connect with producers from other provinces, collaborate, and pursue inter-provincial co-productions. Combining resources and funding is often necessary to get projects made and off the ground.
For me, the biggest takeaway from the program was meeting so many incredible producers nationwide and now having the opportunity to work with them across provincial lines. That’s been invaluable.
Mehak: That’s amazing!
And with Juni and Raksha‘s development, how do you balance your time between acting and production?
Praneet: It’s hard. A lot of production work right now is unpaid because so much of it is just the painstaking effort to get projects off the ground. You don’t see any money in your bank account until you’re shooting on set.
Much of the work involves networking, taking meetings, pitching to studio executives, and attending international media festivals, often at your own expense. It takes a toll. It affects family, friends, relationships, because you’re constantly consumed by the work.
There’s no typical 9-5 in this industry. Even with acting, you’re always working, always thinking about the next opportunity or project.
Mehak: There’s no time frame, yeah…
Praneet: There’s no personal time, especially if you’re ambitious and passionate about doing this work. It’s easy to say you can create structure and have a healthy work-life balance. I’m working towards that, but I don’t have it right now.
To be honest, it’s hard. I don’t have a balance at the moment. Let’s just put it that way, I’m not balanced right now.
Mehak: Of course, but with time, of course, the balance will come, right?
Praneet: Exactly, yes…
Mehak: So, has production changed the way you approach being active on set?
Praneet: It has, because I’ve come to see the bigger picture now. As actors, we often get caught up worrying about whether people will like our performance, or if we’re doing the role “right,” or whether the character would act a certain way. But the people wearing the producer and director hats are the ones thinking about the big picture, all the puzzle pieces fitting together.
Exclusive Interview: SkyMed’s Praneet Akilla Is the Brown Romeo Canada Didn’t Know It Needed. Image CreditL Dahlia Katz
Sometimes, as actors, we can be quite focused on ourselves and, honestly, a bit selfish, forgetting that we’re just vessels for the entire vision. Being a producer and involved in casting and putting those pieces together has given me insight to turn off the “actor brain” for a moment and realise that what’s being asked is to serve the bigger story. We’re just cogs in a much grander machine.
It helps remove the ego from the process. Actors can easily get caught up in ego, but stepping back like this makes it about the story, not the self.
Mehak: You’ve explained it beautifully, of course, yeah. So, Praneet, what advice would you give to the young South Asian artists, hoping to break into the film industry, TV industry, or even theatre in Canada today?
Praneet: It’s really difficult. If you’re going to do this, you better really, really love it. It’s not worth doing half-heartedly because it’s unlikely to get you anywhere. You have to love it deeply to stick with it; it’s unstable and uncertain, with a lot of ups and downs. The highs can be higher than most people’s, but the lows can be much lower.
My advice to South Asian artists is to get your degree and have a backup plan. I know it’s not the most glamorous advice, but it helped me a lot. I’m a chemical engineer. I had savings and investments before I got into this, which meant I didn’t have to worry about rent or bills for two or three years while I was auditioning and trying to build my career.
Sure, now and then you hear stories of that one per cent who packed up everything, followed their dreams, and hit it big, but that’s the exception, not the rule. So, prepare yourself as best you can. If you really love this, get your degree, hold onto your side job or day job, and audition while you keep that going until your acting income can cover your bills. That’s when you can fully commit to it.
Mehak: Thank you so much for the lovely answers, Praneet. Before we wrap up, I have some fun and frolic rapid-fire questions for you:
Mehak: You are aware of…
Praneet: I’m aware of how much self-doubt I have at the moment.
Mehak: You are fearful of…
Praneet:I am fearful of losing my loved ones.
Mehak: You are angered by…
Praneet: Unkind People
Mehak: Yeah, you are in love with…
Praneet:Um. My life. I’m very happy and grateful to be doing what I’m doing.
Mehak: You are best at…
Praneet:Ooh, rambling passionately about things that may or may not be relevant, but they are relevant to me. I like to nerd out on things, so.
Mehak: You are shy of…
Praneet: Oh, um, uh, like networking events, like just, you know, forced interactions sometimes.
Mehak: That’s right, that’s right. Of course it is.
Praneet: Yes, yes…
Mehak: You are always ready for…
Praneet: Uh, trying to get out of my comfort zone.
Mehak: Excitement is…
Praneet: Uh, the opening of Romeo and Juliet. Excited!
Mehak: Congratulations on that once again!
Confusion is…
Praneet: Why do people start wars? It’s a big picture thing, yeah. I should say, why are men in charge, particularly, of starting wars?
Mehak: Yeah, right. I was discussing the same with one of my friends yesterday!
Prejudice is…
Praneet: Uh… Prejudice is horrible and should be abolished immediately.
Mehak: Peace is…
Praneet: Spending time with the people that I love!
Mehak: Yeah, that’s beautiful.
Hope is…
Praneet: Ooh, that’s a tough one. Hope…Hope is my nephew, my one-year-old nephew.
Mehak: Are you close to him?
(Smiling together)
Praneet: Very close, yeah, yeah. I’m the person who’s just checking baby pictures all the time now.
Mehak: Satisfaction is…
Praneet:Um, satisfaction is, uh, um. Finishing something, seeing something through. Not giving up, seeing it through.
Mehak: All right, and loyalty is?
Praneet:Loyalty is… Loyalty is love.
Mehak: Yeah, of course, yeah, that’s true.
Friendship is…
Praneet:Friendship is also love.
Mehak: Love is…
Praneet: Uh, everything guides everything, um yeah, love is love is uh love is longing!
Mehak: All right, Praneet! Thank you so much for your answers and time. It was lovely chatting with you. I wish you all the best, and I hope we get to speak with you again very soon.
Praneet: Yes, likewise, thank you so much for having me!
Mehak Kapoor (@makeba_93) is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience in anchoring and content creation for TV and digital platforms. Passionate about storytelling and factual reporting, she enjoys engaging with diverse audiences. Outside of work, she finds solace i...
