As Much a Personal Journey as a Professional one: Akansha Ranjan Kapoor Learns to Ride a Scooty for Prime Video’s Gram Chikitsalay

Set against the vibrant backdrop of rural India, Gram Chikitsalay is Prime Video’s much-anticipated upcoming series highlighting healthcare challenges in the country’s heartland. This slice of life series blends realism with elements of camaraderie, corruption, and heartfelt emotions. Playing a pivotal role in the series is Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, who essays the role of Dr. Gargi — a character that demanded more than just acting chops. To bring a layer of originality to her role, Akanksha took on a challenge she never even imagined facing in her acting career — learning how to ride a scooty from scratch.

Actress Akansha Ranjan Kapoor shared, “I learnt to ride a scooty specifically for Gram Chikitsalay. When I first met Rahul, the director, he asked me if I knew how to ride one. I said no, and he casually replied, ‘Seekh lo.’ I remember telling him, ‘I’ve never ridden a bicycle in my life—how am I supposed to do this?’ I’ve always had a fear of two-wheelers. But then he teased, ‘Either learn, or you lose the show. So, while we were filming, they called a body double for the scene, but I was like, ‘No, I’ll do it myself! I’ve been learning to ride a scooty for a month now, and I want to do the shot.’ We ended up filming for three to four hours, and honestly, I had a blast. It’s something I learnt solely for the series, and I am proud of it.”

Produced under the banner of The Viral Fever (TVF) and created by Deepak Kumar Mishra, the Original series is written by Vaibhav Suman and Shreya Shrivastava and directed by Rahul Pandey. Gram Chikitsalay is a drama that follows the inspiring journey of Dr. Prabhat, a city-based doctor who sets out to revive an almost defunct Primary Health Centre in the remote village of Bhathkandi. Boasting a stellar ensemble cast featuring Amol Parashar and Vinay Pathak in lead roles, with Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, Anandeshwar Dwivedi, Akash Makhija, and Garima Vikrant Singh in pivotal roles, the drama is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 countries and territories on May 9.