Namish Taneja On Becoming A Gangster For Gangs Of Gorakhpur And The Midnight Moment That Felt Like A Message From His Father

Namish Taneja is stepping into a very different world with Gangs of Gorakhpur, and the actor is clearly enjoying every challenging bit of the transformation. In the 2026 crime drama streaming on Alright TV, Namish plays Raghav Chaturvedi, a college topper who dreams of becoming an IFS officer but, because of circumstances beyond his control, finds himself entering the world of crime. For an actor known for his softer image, the role offered an opportunity to show audiences just how far he could stretch himself.

Explaining what attracted him to the project, Namish said, “My character is named Raghav Chaturvedi; he aspired to be an IFS officer but, due to certain circumstances, ends up becoming a gangster.” He described the characters journey as “truly emotional and compelling,” particularly because it traces “how a college topper transforms into a gangster.” That contradiction appears to be at the heart of Raghavs story, and it was precisely the kind of transformation Namish wanted to explore.

Namish also admitted that his love for crime dramas played a role in his decision. “I’ve always loved cinema like Gangs of Wasseypur and Gangs of Mirzapur—films that resonate with a vast audience,” he said. So, when he heard the title Gangs of Gorakhpur and discovered that it was inspired by the story of a man from 1995, he immediately felt drawn towards it. “The role offered me a lot to work with; the character had a rich arc and was well-written, which is why I agreed to do the show,” he explained.

For Namish, however, the biggest attraction was the chance to challenge the image audiences already had of him. “As an actor, I’ve always strived to take on challenging roles,” he said, adding that television often comes with certain creative limitations, while this project allowed him to explore a completely different space. His goal was simple but ambitious: “My main goal was for the audience to see me and think, ‘Wow, he can pull off the ‘chocolate boy’ look just as convincingly as he plays a gangster.’”

Getting the gangster right meant going beyond clothes, expressions and action scenes. Since Gangs of Gorakhpur is set in Gorakhpur and incorporates the Purvanchal dialect, Namish spent considerable time making sure his speech felt authentic. “When I received the script, I was keen to get the nuances right,” he said. The actor had extensive discussions with the dialogue writer, who understood the local dialect and its manner of speaking.

He also found an unlikely rehearsal partner in Suman, his makeup artist and spot boy. “I would consult before delivering every line to figure out the best way to say it,” Namish recalled. He would essentially ask himself, “If you were to speak, how would you do it? How would a gangster speak?” From there, he developed a particular tone that he wanted to make feel effortless rather than exaggerated.

Namish also immersed himself in the people and surroundings of the show. “I spent a lot of time with the friends I made on the show; they helped me a great deal. They would talk, and I would just listen,” he said. Instead of trying to force an accent or mannerism, he absorbed what he heard around him. Eventually, he believes the transformation worked so well that “even the locals thought I was one of them.”

Off camera, Namish describes himself as someone who generally gets along with people. “I have a good nature; I get along with everyone,” he said, adding that he does not take offence easily. “So, I manage to get along with everyone—somehow or other, it works out.” His approach is straightforward: “If someone causes trouble, I tend to distance myself from them.”

He also had warm words for the people he worked with on the series. Namish said he had “a great working relationship” with his female lead, describing her as “a very serious actor” and saying he particularly enjoys working with people who approach their craft that way. He also praised his other co-stars, saying that although some were new, they were “fully committed.” His connection extended beyond the professional set-up as he bonded with the actors playing his sister, father and mother.

The actor reserved special praise for the director, calling the experience “fantastic.” One of the biggest lessons he took away from the project was how to remain calm during difficult situations. For an actor working on an emotionally and physically demanding crime drama, that may be one of the most useful lessons of all.

But behind the gangster transformation was also a deeply personal emotional journey for Namish. He revealed one particular moment from the show that he had not previously discussed in an interview. It involved a midnight scene in which Rana asks him why he did not escape from jail and what he is looking at in the sky. Raghav responds by saying, “It’s my mother’s birthday today. I’m looking at it, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. She loved the full moon.”

The timing of that scene turned into something far more personal for Namish. His fathers birthday also falls at midnight, and his father passed away around a year and a half to two years ago. “So, having that specific scene occur right at midnight felt like magic to me,” he said. Rather than seeing it simply as coincidence, Namish chose to embrace the moment emotionally. “I took it very positively, seeing it as a message from my dad: ‘Son, I am here for you; I am with you.’ That was a magical moment.”

Namish admitted that he kept wondering, “How did this even happen?” He acknowledged that technically it could be dismissed as coincidence, but for him the timing carried a much deeper meaning. “My dad’s birthday is at 12:00 AM. I knew that,” he said. When he read the scene and understood that Raghavs story was coming to an end, he decided to surrender himself to the moment.

Interestingly, Namish clarified that he did not deliberately use specific memories of his father while performing the scene. “I never want to use those in a setting like that,” he explained. Instead, he allowed the moment to exist naturally. For him, the magic came from what happened around the scene rather than from deliberately recreating personal memories.

That experience also opened up a different emotional space for the actor. Namish spoke candidly about how performers learn to hide what they are feeling. “In this profession, we—or rather, actors specifically—get used to a certain way of being. If we’re feeling restless, we can’t show it,” he said. Whether it is a fight at home, a delayed payment or a role that does not work out, actors learn not to wear those emotions on their faces.

“That’s the difference between an ordinary person and an actor; we develop a habit of masking it,” Namish explained. But for this particular chapter of his life, he decided to do things differently. “I gave those two years entirely to myself because I wanted to truly live through that emotion,” he said. He dedicated those years to his father and allowed himself to feel emotions he had usually kept hidden.

“I’ve never really shown sadness in my life before, but this time I decided to see what would happen if I did,” Namish revealed. “So, I let it come out.” He acknowledged that doing so was difficult, but said actors often learn to avoid uncomfortable emotions rather than confront them. When things do become overwhelming, music is one of his biggest escapes. “If I find something uncomfortable, music really helps me,” he said. “I immediately put on some good music; it helps shift my mindset and divert my attention.”

As for what comes next, Namish is keeping things relaxed. “Honestly, I’ve been shortlisted for quite a few projects,” he revealed, although he is not rushing to predict where his career will go. “But whatever is meant to be—whatever is in my destiny—will happen.” The actor added, “Everything has gone well so far, and it will continue to go well. I’m not afraid of anything.”

For now, his attention remains on Gangs of Gorakhpur and Raghav Chaturvedi. The series explores a 1995 world of land auctions, political connections and local crime syndicates, following the emotional transformation of an aspiring IFS officer into a gangster. Alongside Namish, the show features Shruti Sharma, Vishal Anand and Rashmi Pathak.

And Namish has one final message for the audience. “To my fans: keep moving forward, and... hey, I’ll call you back,” he joked, before urging viewers to watch Gangs of Gorakhpur on the app. “Do watch my show, Gangs of Gorakhpur, on the app—new seasons drop every Saturday at 6 PM. Three seasons are already out. Please give me the same love as before. Thank you.”

From playing the chocolate boy to becoming a gangster, from mastering the Purvanchal dialect to experiencing a deeply personal midnight moment, Gangs of Gorakhpur appears to have given Namish Taneja much more than just another role. It has pushed him as an actor, connected him with a new world and, unexpectedly, given him a moment that he will perhaps carry long after the cameras stop rolling.

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