After marking his debut as one of the parallel leads in the much-hyped Zoya Akhtar directorial, The Archies, in 2023, actor Mihir Ahuja shared the screen with veteran actor Anupam Kher this year in the film, Vijay 69. In an exclusive interview with Free Press Journal, the young actor opens up about the year that was, his New Year resolutions, the workings of the industry, and more. Excerpts:

How would you describe the year that was 2024?

This year has been real amazing for me. I did some good projects this year following the release of Archies. It helped me in bagging some good roles, which you'll see in 2025 and 2026. Vijay 69 released this year. So yeah, I lived my best time on set this year.

Do you have any regrets this year?

I don't have any regrets, but I stay in Mumbai away from my family, so my only wish is I would love to meet them more often. I wouldn't say it as a regret because I was busy working here, but it's basically a dream. When you come home from work, you would like to have a companion or probably meet your parents and tell someone what you did the entire day and your daily routine. I missed out on that this year because my parents stay in Jamshedpur and I'm here in Mumbai.

The Archies stirred up the whole nepotism and insider vs outsider debate. What's your take on it?

When you're talented, you deserve work. Whether you're an insider or an outsider, it shouldn't matter. If you are talented, you should get work. And I think Zoya Akhtar saw that talent in everyone in Archies, and they deserve that film, that's why they did that film. So I think if you are talented, you deserve work, irrespective of where you come from. We are really good friends now. We have a WhatsApp group and we talk almost every day. They are pretty chill!

Nowadays, one of the key factors in deciding a young actor's work is their social media followers. How do you feel about that?

That's very true, because the digital media has gotten a really big boom post COVID-19 in India and around the world. It is important for an actor to have some social media presence. But it is a difficult task because for me, especially, as I started off as an actor, I'm not an influencer. I didn't start as a content creator. So when people say that you need these many followers for a project, it hurts at times. But that's the truth, and you have to work on that. If I'm a producer, of course, I would want an actor who can attract the audience. The main thing is good acting skills, but fan following also matters in today's times.

What is your plan for 2025?

I have a few projects in the pipeline, which I'm shooting for right now. I have one called 'Maa Ka Sum', which is releasing in the first half of 2025, and another Australian film with Neena Gupta ma'am, titled Hindi Vindi. My new year resolution is to do more amazing roles and be a part of good stories. Also, I wish to be physically and mentally fit and give time to my mind and soul.