Ankur
in the News
Almaden Times January 5,
2006
By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer
Ankur Bhatt is pursuing his
dream of Hollywood stardom. But as the handsome thespian eyes
success, he has his feet planted firmly on the ground.
Ankur Bhatt’s publicity photo opens the door to auditions,
but he knows that he must always be prepared. Photos courtesy
of the Bhatt family
Bhatt recently landed a three-episode part on NBC’s
“E-Ring,” a role that may indeed be his “big
break” in a business that is known for littering the
sidewalks of Hollywood with castoffs. He plays Javed Bakar,
a Pakistani American civilian who works for the Defense Intelligence
Agency at the Pentagon. And he’s playing with the big
boys—series stars Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper.
“They are really nice
guys and very easy to work with,” said the affable Bhatt.
“I thought I’d be nervous acting on the series,
but everything goes very smoothly on the set.”
If it sounds like Bhatt is
an overnight success, don’t believe it.
Born at Kaiser Santa Teresa
Hospital and raised in Blossom Valley, he began acting in
plays and musicals in second grade while attending Challenger
School and found he was “comfortable on stage”
even while playing “Cookie Monsters.” His parents
Sid and Bharati, Ankur and his older sister moved to Almaden
in 1994 where Bhatt attended Bret Harte Middle School.
Leland High School teacher
Gay Brasher saw the adolescent at a function and talked to
him about joining the speech and debate team where he participated
in hundreds of tournaments with humorous interpretations of
characters in plays. And he excelled; winning awards but also
discovered an aptitude for math and science.
“I saw Akur at the Bret
Harte speech and debate tournament when he was in seventh
grade,” said Brasher. “He had a natural ability
even then and was eager to try new things. He went to many
state and national tournaments.
He was known for his humorous interpretations and now he’s
just as good with drama. He still comes back and helps us
coach with the speech and debate team. He’s really awesome.”
Leland High School speech and debate teacher Gay Brasher discovered
Bhatt when he attended Bret Harte Middle School.
After high school graduation, Bhatt attended University of
California Los Angeles and received his masters in electrical
engineering. He attended acting classes and worked at the
Improv Comedy house for two years and Comedy Central’s
Mind of Mencia. A manager saw the young actor in a play, signed
him and an agent quickly followed.
Bhatt’s acting roles
are quickly multiplying. He has scored parts in the TV series
“Untold Stories of the ER,” and movies “American
Blend” and “Blessing.” He was a terrorist
in the Discovery Channel’s “The Flight Fought
Back” a docudrama of 9/11’s doomed Flight 93,
which was based on actual interviews and transcripts. In his
role on the “E-Ring,” Bhatt hopes the part will
lead to a gig as a series regular.
In the meantime, acting classes
several times a week help him perfect his craft and he is
constantly going on auditions for upcoming TV pilots.
“It really is 50 percent
business and 50 percent craft,” said Bhatt. “You
have to sell yourself, know the market and your niche. And
I went to a lot of auditions where I was terrible. You learn
and you develop a thick skin. And know your niche.”
Bhatt is honest with himself
about that niche, knowing that his Indian ethnicity will type
cast him in Middle Eastern roles. He approaches that issue
with being meticulously prepared for each part and always
auditioning for other roles when possible. His thinks his
role in the “E-Ring” is a step in the right direction,
that of a civilian employee working at the Pentagon.
And as the old adage says
“dying is easy, comedy is hard,” Bhatt is equally
comfortable with humor from his years in school presenting
comedic renditions as well as drama.
Bhatt’s natural ability was evident at Leland High School
before the acting bug hit hard.
“We are very excited about Ankur’s success,”
said his mother Bharati. “He was always interested in
acting from a very young age. And Gay Brasher has been so
instrumental with him. She really is a great lady.”
When Bhatt is not going on
auditions or acting, he tutors students in math and science.
Close to his family, he manages to come home six times a year
where he sometimes coaches Leland High School’s speech
and debate team. And he’s still close with quite a few
friends that attended his alma mater. In fact, fellow actor
Pej Vahdat graduated with him and now lives in Los Angeles.
“You know when you have
to do something,” said Bhatt. “I had to act. Follow
your instincts. It came natural and it makes me happy. When
I go on a set, I don’t feel like I’m working.
Getting paid is just a bonus.”
Bhatt’s first of three
performances on NBC’s “E-Ring” will be shown
on Wednesday Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. on Channel 11. |
