Praneet Akilla can be seen as Phillip Mishra in the new sci-fi series October Faction on Netflix. We got to chat with Praneet about the show, performing in CIPHER and MAHABHARATA, and more!
Photo Credit: Noah Asanias
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about your new Netflix series “October Faction”?
Praneet Akilla: “October Faction” is a fantasy/horror Netflix Original series based on the graphic novels by Steve Niles & Damien Worm. It follows the adventures of a retired monster-hunter and his family moving back to their patriarch’s town to find out their idyllic surroundings aren’t quite what they seem. Pretty soon they have to deal with werewolves, warlocks, vampires and all kinds of other monsters that are hidden in plain sight. I describe it as a Men in Black meets Supernatural. On the outside it’s incredibly fun, got lots of action and creepy horror elements. However the writers of the show have created incredibly well-developed characters and a storyline with poignant social commentary on many of the issues we deal with in the world today- sexual assault, LGBTQ relationships, racial bias/profiling, power dynamics, human rights and on and on. I think people will love it.
upfrontNY: You play Phillip Mishra, can you tell us about your character?
Praneet Akilla: Playing Phillip Mishra is my first big break- playing a major recurring role on a Netflix Original Series. From being a chemical engineer to this -feels surreal and hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this show. Phillip Mishra is the alpha and star athlete in the high school the Allen Family kids attend. He’s also the son of a prominent towns-person. He carries a heavy burden of high expectations from both his family and the society around him. On the surface he very much tries to hide this stress and compensates by pushing his male bravado out to assert his dominance. Through the series however, after meeting Geoff Allen, tensions arise and the rest I can’t give away because (SPOILERS!!)
upfrontNY: Do you have a favorite memory from set?
Praneet Akilla: I did a lot of action sequences in this show so there was a lot of stunt work that I really enjoyed. Typically, in my acting career so far, I haven’t done much in terms of stunts. The team really trusted me and so did the showrunner and director Damian Kindler. There’s a highly emotional scene that takes place in a high school party, let’s just put it that way. Again, I don’t want to give it away, but that’s a really emotional scene and a pretty big turning point in Phillip’s character arc throughout the show that I thoroughly enjoyed filming as well.
upfrontNY: The series follows a retired monster hunter. If you had to hunt monsters, who would you want on your monster hunter team?
Praneet Akilla: This is the best question ever. I would have Batman/Bruce Wayne for sure- his detective skills would be really helpful in finding the monsters and on top of that he could take them down with his gadgets and fighting ability. Dumbledore or Gandalf- besides killing the monsters with their kindness they’re only the greatest wizards of all time so a little magic on my side would be highly welcomed. Lastly, I’d probably say the Ghostbusters. They have all the technology to capture them (but secretly I just want to take a spin in the ecto-1 mobile)
upfrontNY: You are starring in the new theatre production CIPHER at the Arts Club in Vancouver, can you tell us about the production?
Praneet Akilla: Cipher is a play that is being performed at a major theatre company in Vancouver, Canada called The Arts Club. I very much describe it as “hipster noir meets conspiracy thriller”. It’s a cold case murder mystery and I play a student who teams up with a toxicology professor to solve the case. The creative team is one of the best in Canadian theatre and it’s going to be innovative and exhilarating. If people want to check it out, here is a link for tickets https://artsclub.com/shows/
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about MAHABHARATA that you will be performing at the 2020 Shaw Theatre Festival?
Praneet Akilla: Mahabharata is the longest story ever written or told in the world. It’s a Lord of the Rings-esque fantasy epic from Indian, Hindu mythology BUT on stage! This project is a huge milestone because it’s the first time in north america that this story is being told on stage with an international-all south asian cast. It is being performed at Niagara-on-the- Lake’s Shaw Theatre Festival from August 15th to September 19th. Here is a link to tickets for those interested: https://www.shawfest.com/
upfrontNY: How do you prepare for a live production? How do you feel when you are on a stage in front of an audience?
Praneet Akilla: Typically for a live production we have a three week rehearsal process everyday from 10 am – 6 pm with 1 day off. This is particularly in Canadian professional theatre (Broadway being my next goal). By this point we’ve gone through both acts of a play multiple times by initial blocking of the scenes to character/script analysis and then doing multiple iterations of this to find what sticks by the time we get onto the stage. I always say this, but there is nothing like live theatre. The feeling you get by performing in front of an audience and getting their real time feedback is honestly indescribable. It’s like a rush. It’s definitely the Actor’s medium, because for two or so hours every night you control the auditorium with your words and actions. You get to draw the audience in.
upfrontNY: You pursued a Chemical Engineering degree while you were pursuing acting before you started acting full time. What advice do you have for others who also want to pursue acting full time?
Praneet Akilla: If acting is truly your passion- study it and put yourself in situations where you can act and gain experience. Whether that be signing up for community theatre productions or making short films with your friends or starring in a student film. While this is happening, simultaneously study other subjects, travel, gain some life experience too. In the highest level of being a professional actor, you will be called to deliver emotionally nuanced scenes many, many times. You can’t do that unless you have some life experience and a studied skill set to draw from.
This is a hard, unstable business filled with constant rejection. It was a struggle for me to take the leap of faith, so know that it isn’t easy and it’s not supposed to be. However, you have to stop caring about what other people think first of all. Secondly, you need to have faith in your abilities. Lastly, your goal shouldn’t be to get famous. You should have manageable goals like having a good audition in the casting room and then go from there. Dream big but work on the little things day to day. If you don’t enjoy the daily grind/process of auditioning on the days you aren’t working on set, then this profession probably isn’t for you.
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about Plan International’s Because I am a Girl?
Praneet Akilla: This year I will be doing some work with Plan International’s “Because I am a Girl” program. I heard about this via my friend who works for a non-profit organization in Toronto a year ago. I also know many children in the South-Asian diaspora who are being denied the opportunity to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams. It keeps them stuck in an endless cycle of poverty. On top of that- every day, millions of girls around the world are denied education – simply because they’re girls. Feel free to visit https://plancanada.ca/because-
upfrontNY: What is next for you?
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