Actor Ajinkya Raut, who rose to fame with his portrayal of Lord Vitthal in the mythological series Vithu Mauli and later won hearts as Indra in Man Udu Udu Zhala, says his perspective on fame and the entertainment industry has changed significantly over the last few years.Reflecting on one belief that has evolved, Ajinkya admits he once underestimated the importance of social media.“Three years ago, I believed social media wasn’t as important as performing on screen and focusing on your craft. I still believe being a good actor is the most important thing, but today I understand that packaging, promotion and visibility matter too,” he says.According to him, actors today need to make the most of every platform available. “The influencer aspect of being an actor and using different platforms for performing arts and public interaction has become equally important. Earlier I didn’t believe in it, but now I do, and I’m enjoying every part of it.”Away from the camera, the actor has developed a new passion—learning languages. “Right now I’m learning Telugu. I don’t know whether I’ll work there or if an opportunity will come my way, but I’m learning it simply for the joy of learning something new,” he shares.For Ajinkya, language is a gateway to culture. “When you learn a new language, you also discover its literature, cinema and culture. It doesn’t always have to be about earning money. Sometimes it’s just about expanding your horizons.”He says cinema remains his biggest source of inspiration. “I have a projector at home to watch films, and I often go alone to theatres because I genuinely enjoy that experience.”Although acting has always been his dream, Ajinkya reveals he had another career option. “I’m an engineer by education, so if I hadn’t become an actor, I would definitely have been an engineer. But ever since childhood, acting was always the dream I wanted to fulfil.”Ajinkya has also appeared in projects such as Raakh and Out of Syllabus.
