“Ambition Can Build Empires or Destroy Lives”: Ankkit Poddar on the World Behind Celestia Pictures’ Upcoming Crime Thriller

Drawing from his roots in eastern India, actor-producer Ankkit Poddar joins lawyer and producer Abhijeet Shukla to explore ambition, power, politics and the complex realities of India’s heartland through Celestia Pictures’ upcoming crime thriller.

Mumbai: What separates a young person who goes on to build an extraordinary life from someone whose ambition leads them down a dangerous path? Is it opportunity, circumstance, the people they encounter, or the choices they make along the way?

For actor-producer Ankkit Poddar, these questions offer a fascinating lens through which to understand the complexities of human ambition, particularly in the culturally rich and politically layered landscapes of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Poddar grew up in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and has since lived and worked across several Indian cities. Together with Shukla, he has developed a particular interest in the aspirations, contradictions and social dynamics of India’s heartland. These perspectives have helped shape the creative thinking behind Celestia Pictures’ upcoming crime thriller, which is being developed against the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

“One thing that has always fascinated me about this part of India is the extraordinary hunger people have to achieve something in life. There is tremendous ambition, resilience and an instinct to rise above one’s circumstances. But ambition is a powerful force. When it finds the right opportunities and direction, it can create remarkable success stories. When it becomes entangled with desperation, unchecked power or the temptation of shortcuts, the consequences can be very different,” says Poddar.

For the producer, this contrast between aspiration and circumstance offers a compelling foundation for cinematic storytelling.

Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand have produced generations of accomplished professionals, entrepreneurs, administrators, artists and individuals who have made their mark far beyond their hometowns. Yet parts of these states have also experienced persistent challenges around employment, industrial development and access to economic opportunities.

The contrast raises an intriguing question: what happens when the desire to succeed grows faster than the opportunities available to fulfil it?

“Imagine two young individuals growing up in similar circumstances, with equally strong ambitions. One finds a mentor, an opportunity or an environment that allows that ambition to flourish. The other encounters a world where influence, intimidation or shortcuts appear to offer a faster route to success. Their starting points may be similar, but their journeys can become dramatically different. That contrast interests me as a storyteller,” Poddar explains.

He is equally interested in how power operates beyond conventional definitions of wealth and authority.

“In many smaller towns, power is not always measured by how much money someone has. Sometimes, it is about whom you know, the influence you command, the loyalty you inspire or the reputation you have built. There are layers of social relationships that can make these environments extremely interesting to explore on screen,” he says.

The political and social landscape of the Hindi heartland adds another dimension to this fascination. Across parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, political influence has historically intersected with community identities, local leadership, personal relationships and competing social interests. These dynamics can create environments where power is deeply personal and its influence extends into everyday life.

“Politics in these regions has its own fascinating character. It is not always confined to elections or political offices. Local leadership, social identity, personal loyalties and influence can become deeply intertwined. Sometimes, the most powerful person in a particular environment may not even hold an official position. Understanding these relationships gives you an entirely different perspective on how power works,” Poddar observes.

At the same time, he believes it would be simplistic to define these regions only through their political complexities or histories of crime.

“There is a tendency to look at Bihar or eastern Uttar Pradesh through a very narrow lens. But these are also places of extraordinary intelligence, ambition, cultural richness and human resilience. The same society can produce remarkable success stories and deeply complicated human conflicts. For me, that contrast is far more interesting than any stereotype,” he adds.

For Celestia Pictures, founded by Ankkit Poddar and Abhijeet Shukla, the decision to explore the crime thriller genre comes from a desire to examine human behaviour through an engaging cinematic format. While the producers remain guarded about the film’s storyline, they acknowledge that themes of youth, ambition, power and individual choices have influenced their broader creative perspective.

“Crime thrillers offer an extraordinary opportunity to explore human psychology. Behind every major conflict, there are individuals driven by something — ambition, fear, loyalty, greed, love or the desire for respect. What fascinates me is not simply what people do, but what brings them to a point where they make certain choices,” says Poddar.

He also reflects on the complicated relationship between economic aspiration and the pursuit of power.

“When legitimate opportunities appear limited, the promise of quick money or influence can become tempting for some. Whether it is the attraction of easy wealth, the desire to command respect or the temptation to exercise control over others, these are powerful human motivations. But there is always a price attached to the choices people make. That is what makes such conflicts compelling from a storytelling perspective.”

For Poddar and Shukla, however, the objective is not to romanticise crime or portray an entire region through violence and lawlessness. Instead, their interest lies in the individuals, relationships and circumstances that create compelling dramatic possibilities.

“We don’t want to glorify crime. We want to understand the human emotions and circumstances that make certain stories possible. A powerful thriller should entertain audiences, but it should also make them question what they believe about ambition, success, morality and power,” Poddar says.

The producers are also conscious of the importance of regional authenticity. With the project currently in pre-production, the team is exploring locations across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, paying attention to the distinctive environments, cultural nuances and visual character of the regions.

For Celestia Pictures, the film represents another step towards establishing a production identity built around compelling scripts, strong characters and stories that combine commercial entertainment with emotional depth. Coming from professional backgrounds outside the conventional film industry, Poddar and Shukla believe their varied experiences allow them to approach filmmaking with a combination of creative curiosity, independent thinking and disciplined execution.

“Abhijeet and I have always believed that cinema should be entertaining first, but it becomes truly memorable when there is something meaningful beneath the entertainment. We are drawn to stories that have multiple layers, where characters are not simply good or bad, and where the audience is constantly discovering something new,” says Poddar.

Although the title, storyline and casting details remain under wraps, the makers intend to reveal further information as the project moves ahead.

For Poddar, the larger fascination ultimately comes back to one fundamental idea.

“The difference between a person who changes the world and someone who loses their way can sometimes begin with a single decision. Ambition gives people the courage to dream beyond their circumstances, but the direction they choose can change everything. That is what makes human stories so extraordinary.”

With its upcoming untitled crime thriller, Celestia Pictures is preparing to explore a world where ambition meets circumstance, power influences choices, and the line between success and destruction can be far more complicated than it appears.