American-Indian actor Mark Bennington says that after spending seven years in the Indian film industry, producers have started casting him in various roles across streaming platforms, moving away from

“For years, movies often featured British officers. However, there’s a shift now as people are experimenting and exploring new ideas with me.

After spending seven years in the Indian film industry, American-Indian actor Mark Bennington has observed a shift in the types of roles he is being offered. Producers have begun casting him in a wider range of characters, moving away from his usual portrayal of the "typical villainous British character."

"For years, movies often featured British officers, but there's a change now as people are experimenting and exploring new ideas with me," said Bennington. "I played a CIA official with the film 'Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran' (2018) and the series 'Rocket Boys,' in 'Bombay Begums' (2021) I was a love interest whereas in 'Inside Edge' (2018) a South African businessman. In 'Saas Bahu aur Flamingo' (2023), I played a strong character that has nothing to do with my white skin and ethnicity. Not playing a token white guy is very satisfying," added the "RRR" (2021) and "Kesari" (2019) actor.

The actor was recently in Lucknow as a jury member for the Lucknow Short Film Festival Season 2. He shared his experiences working in the Indian film industry and how he feels he has been fortunate to find success in his field.

"During my time in New York, I found myself at a crossroads in my career," he said. "Although I still maintain a photography studio, the amount of work available to me was limited as I was just one among many actors. However, upon relocating to India, I discovered a unique advantage. The demand for foreign actors in projects was high, and as a result, I began receiving numerous opportunities. Admittedly, these roles often fell into the category of typecasting, but the sheer volume of work made up for it. I made a conscious effort to avoid being pigeonholed as just a stereotypical British character and managed to secure diverse roles."

When asked if he anticipates a return to Hollywood, Bennington said, "They are so overloaded with actors in LA and I don't know if opportunities are there, but you never know as OTT is watched across the globe. I am not even thinking about it but I hope it happens. We were recently in Portugal and a waiter recognized me as an actor from 'Heeramandi' so it feels good."

Bennington will next be seen in the films "Maharaja" and "Indian 2." "I am shooting for a Punjabi film and then 'Family Man' season 3 shooting begins in August," he added.

The actor also shared his connection to Lucknow through his mother-in-law, who hails from the city. "I came here a couple of years ago to play Devika Rani," he said. "Unfortunately, this time, I was not able to venture out, but next time I will surely like to spend time here and do some shopping and photography."

"I witnessed extreme heat in Lucknow, but I could not connect with it as it was dry like my native place where I grew up in Davis, Northern California (the US)," he added. "Mumbai heat is very sticky and makes me very lethargic, but here it was warm, but I felt good with dry heat... nostalgia."

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