January 5, 2005

Leland High graduate Ankur Bhatt lands part on NBC’s ‘E-Ring’

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Ankur Bhatt is pursuing his dream of Hollywood stardom. But as the handsome thespian eyes success, he has his feet planted firmly on the ground.

Ankur Bhatt’s publicity photo opens the door to auditions, but he knows that he must always be prepared. Photos courtesy of the Bhatt family

Bhatt recently landed a three-episode part on NBC’s “E-Ring,” a role that may indeed be his “big break” in a business that is known for littering the sidewalks of Hollywood with castoffs. He plays Javed Bakar, a Pakistani American civilian who works for the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon. And he’s playing with the big boys—series stars Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper.

“They are really nice guys and very easy to work with,” said the affable Bhatt. “I thought I’d be nervous acting on the series, but everything goes very smoothly on the set.”

If it sounds like Bhatt is an overnight success, don’t believe it.

Born at Kaiser Santa Teresa Hospital and raised in Blossom Valley, he began acting in plays and musicals in second grade while attending Challenger School and found he was “comfortable on stage” even while playing “Cookie Monsters.” His parents Sid and Bharati, Ankur and his older sister moved to Almaden in 1994 where Bhatt attended Bret Harte Middle School.

Leland High School teacher Gay Brasher saw the adolescent at a function and talked to him about joining the speech and debate team where he participated in hundreds of tournaments with humorous interpretations of characters in plays. And he excelled; winning awards but also discovered an aptitude for math and science.

“I saw Akur at the Bret Harte speech and debate tournament when he was in seventh grade,” said Brasher. “He had a natural ability even then and was eager to try new things. He went to many state and national tournaments.
He was known for his humorous interpretations and now he’s just as good with drama. He still comes back and helps us coach with the speech and debate team. He’s really awesome.”

Leland High School speech and debate teacher Gay Brasher discovered Bhatt when he attended Bret Harte Middle School.

After high school graduation, Bhatt attended University of California Los Angeles and received his masters in electrical engineering. He attended acting classes and worked at the Improv Comedy house for two years and Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia. A manager saw the young actor in a play, signed him and an agent quickly followed.

Bhatt’s acting roles are quickly multiplying. He has scored parts in the TV series “Untold Stories of the ER,” and movies “American Blend” and “Blessing.” He was a terrorist in the Discovery Channel’s “The Flight Fought Back” a docudrama of 9/11’s doomed Flight 93, which was based on actual interviews and transcripts. In his role on the “E-Ring,” Bhatt hopes the part will lead to a gig as a series regular.

In the meantime, acting classes several times a week help him perfect his craft and he is constantly going on auditions for upcoming TV pilots.

“It really is 50 percent business and 50 percent craft,” said Bhatt. “You have to sell yourself, know the market and your niche. And I went to a lot of auditions where I was terrible. You learn and you develop a thick skin. And know your niche.”

Bhatt is honest with himself about that niche, knowing that his Indian ethnicity will type cast him in Middle Eastern roles. He approaches that issue with being meticulously prepared for each part and always auditioning for other roles when possible. His thinks his role in the “E-Ring” is a step in the right direction, that of a civilian employee working at the Pentagon.

And as the old adage says “dying is easy, comedy is hard,” Bhatt is equally comfortable with humor from his years in school presenting comedic renditions as well as drama.

Bhatt’s natural ability was evident at Leland High School before the acting bug hit hard.

“We are very excited about Ankur’s success,” said his mother Bharati. “He was always interested in acting from a very young age. And Gay Brasher has been so instrumental with him. She really is a great lady.”

When Bhatt is not going on auditions or acting, he tutors students in math and science. Close to his family, he manages to come home six times a year where he sometimes coaches Leland High School’s speech and debate team. And he’s still close with quite a few friends that attended his alma mater. In fact, fellow actor Pej Vahdat graduated with him and now lives in Los Angeles.

“You know when you have to do something,” said Bhatt. “I had to act. Follow your instincts. It came natural and it makes me happy. When I go on a set, I don’t feel like I’m working. Getting paid is just a bonus.”

Bhatt’s first of three performances on NBC’s “E-Ring” will be shown on Wednesday Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. on Channel 11.