Chennai, India – For popular content creators Akhil Sha and Akhil NRD, the upcoming Malayalam film Maharaja Hostel marks a significant milestone. While they have previously appeared in minor roles, this is their first major outing as lead actors. As they prepare for the film’s release, the duo is navigating the expectations and apprehensions that come with stepping into the spotlight, a journey that has taken them from creating short, comedic Reels to sustaining performances on the big screen.
Both Akhils began their content creation journeys well before it became a mainstream career path. Akhil NRD started with TikTok around 2015, while Akhil Sha began posting content in 2018 during his engineering studies, initially as a hobby. The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a turning point, as their videos gained traction and their following grew. Akhil NRD eventually quit his Merchant Navy job to pursue content creation full-time. Today, Akhil Sha boasts around 502k followers on Instagram, while Akhil NRD has 1.7 million.
Their journey to Maharaja Hostel began when the film’s team approached them for their first lead roles. “Remember we spoke about this the last time we shot for a commercial together? We told each other that it would be great if both of us could work together again, like in a movie!” recalls Akhil Sha. However, the duo emphasizes that transitioning from Reels to films is far from a cakewalk. They underwent a month-long acting workshop to prepare, and they stress that the character of a Reel is fundamentally different from acting in a film. “The meter is not the same, you cannot compare the two just because both are in the comic vein,” they explain.
The horror-comedy revolves around three college students who move into a hostel with a strict warden, leading to a series of humorous and eventually serious events. Akhil Sha highlights the challenge of maintaining continuity, a non-issue in short-form content. “When you are creating content for Reels, that is not a problem. Need I say it is different for a film because you can’t just switch off, it is for a longer duration,” he notes. The workshop helped them rehearse each scene, making the process smoother.
Despite their established online presence, the creators are cautious about the reception. They acknowledge that while they have a loyal following, they may not generate the same hype as newer faces, and they also have their share of critics. “With all the fans that come, we have our fair share of haters too!” they add. As Maharaja Hostel gears up for its theatrical release, Akhil Sha and Akhil NRD are eager to prove their mettle as actors, ready to show their followers and the film industry alike that they are more than just content creators.
