Ankush Chaudhari has never been the kind of actor who plays it safe. Time and again, he has chosen characters which are emotionally bruised, morally conflicted, and shaped by tough circumstances. From crime-ridden chawls to complicated love stories, his performances reflect men who are constantly fighting their inner battles. Here are some of his most intense roles that prove why he remains one of Marathi cinema’s most dependable performers:
1. Devkhel (ZEE5)
In the ZEE5 series Devkhel, Ankush takes on one of his most complex television roles. His character is caught between belief and manipulation, navigating a world driven by superstition, power, and human vulnerability. Ankush brings layered intensity to the role, at once grounded and conflicted, making the character’s journey feel unsettling yet deeply real. The series allowed him to explore psychological and emotional darkness in a long-form format, adding another strong dimension to his body of work.
2. Duniyadari (Prime Video)
In this cult favourite, Ankush stepped into the shoes of Digya, a man torn between friendship, loyalty, and his own self-destructive impulses. Digya’s swagger hides deep emotional wounds, and Ankush captures that contradiction beautifully. Beneath the bravado lies quiet sadness, regret, and anger at a world that keeps testing him. This role became a defining moment in his career, proving he could bring emotional depth to a rugged, massy character.
2. Daagdi Chaawl (Prime Video)
As Surya, Ankush delivered one of his most physically and emotionally intense performances. Set in the harsh lanes of Mumbai’s chawls, Surya’s journey from an ordinary man to someone entangled in crime and power is both gripping and tragic. Ankush portrays ambition with restraint, showing how the hunger to rise can slowly strip a man of his innocence. The performance is raw, controlled, and deeply immersive.
3. Double Seat (Zee5)
In Double Seat, Ankush played Amit, a middle-class man struggling with ambition, insecurity, and the fear of being left behind. This wasn’t loud or dramatic intensity, it was internal, slow-burn tension. Through silences, awkward conversations, and suppressed frustration, Ankush made Amit’s emotional struggle painfully relatable. It’s one of his most honest performances, reflecting the quiet pressure many men feel but rarely express.
4. Lalbaug Parel (Prime Video)
One of Ankush’s darkest roles, Lalbaug Parel placed him in the brutal world of Mumbai’s mill lands. His character is constantly surrounded by violence, desperation, and moral decay. Ankush channels rage, helplessness, and inner conflict with unsettling realism, making the character feel trapped by his circumstances. The role showed his courage to embrace bleak narratives that offer no easy redemption.
5. Ti Saddhya Kay Karte (Zee5)
As Anurag, Ankush moved away from aggression and into quiet emotional territory. Reflecting on a love lost to time, Anurag carries regret, longing, and unanswered questions. Ankush’s restrained performance, free of dramatic outbursts, makes the pain feel real and lingering. It’s the kind of role where emotions sit heavy in the eyes, proving that intensity doesn’t always need volume.
What truly sets Ankush Chaudhari apart is his ability to move effortlessly between hardened exteriors and fragile interiors. Whether he’s playing Digya’s wounded loyalty, Surya’s ruthless ambition, Amit’s silent insecurity, or Anurag’s lingering heartbreak, he brings honesty and emotional truth to every character.
Together, these roles paint the picture of an actor unafraid of emotional risk, someone who consistently chooses characters that explore the messiness of ambition, love, regret, and loss. And that’s exactly what makes Ankush Chaudhari’s intense roles so compelling to watch.
Devkhel is streaming now only on ZEE5