Ishwak Singh, who earned widespread praise for his role in Paatal Lok, recently opened up about how the show changed both his life and career. Calling it a defining moment, the actor discussed the challenges, personal growth and feeling of validation that came with the show’s success.

In an exclusive conversation with India Today Digital, Ishwak Singh said, “Paatal Lok gave me massive growth personally and professionally. The industry became aware of me, I got an audience, and as an actor My authentic voice finally got recognized. Every creative person has something unique in it, but earlier there was frustration because I felt that people did not fully understand my skills, with this show the filmmakers and the audience started understanding this. That’s what I bring.

Before Paatal Lok, Ishvak admitted that despite his talent he was often ignored. As an actor, if you are honest with yourself, you know where you stand. The recognition I received after Paatal Lok was in line with my own assessment of my abilities. I felt the kind of work I deserved, authentic stories, layered and complex characters started coming my way. That’s when I felt tremendous personal and professional growth,” he said.

Ishwak’s journey to success has been unconventional. A trained architect, he left both his family and career to pursue acting in a city where he knew no one. “For me, work has always been the center of my universe. I came here with just a dream. How my work is received means everything to me, but acting is a profession where you can only do so much. Can control. While I have the autonomy to say yes or no to opportunities, I can’t create them. Someone like Avinash Arun (director of Paatal Lok) has to trust you first.

For Ishwak, Paatal Lok was not only a breakthrough in his career but also a deeply transformative experience. Over the last four years, I realized that what keeps me grounded is my art. As long as I keep working on myself and honing my skills, I feel focused and in control. Paatal Lok was undoubtedly the turning point in my career, it was the moment that changed everything.