Whenever Gagan Arora’s name comes up, it instantly evokes the image of the charming boy-next-door. Best known for his goofy and lovable portrayal of ‘Bagga’ in College Romance, the actor has long been associated with light-hearted roles. But this time, he has broken out of that shell and stepped into something far more sinister. Gagan’s latest project dives deep into psychological horror and unnerving darkness in a bold departure from horror comedies like Stree. His portrayal of ‘Nakul’, a character riddled with emotional torment and haunting complexity, has been receiving widespread acclaim. His performance in Khauf is as unsettling as it is captivating, marking a stark and impressive shift in his acting journey.
This transformation marks a significant milestone in Gagan’s career, proving his ability to leave behind his goofy rom-com image and step into an emotionally darker terrain. Let’s take a look at his journey from playing lighthearted characters to bringing the disturbing ‘Nakul’ to life.
Who is Gagan Arora?
Gagan Arora, a 31-year-old actor from Delhi, is far from being an overnight sensation. While he is best known for portraying ‘Bagga’ in the 2018 series, College Romance, he also earned significant praise for the role of ‘Happy’ in the 2021 drama series, Tabbar, which also landed him the prestigious Filmfare OTT Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Before stepping in front of the camera, Gagan worked behind the scenes as an assistant director on Amar Kaushik’s hit film from 2018, Stree. He later made his big screen debut in 2019 with Ujda Chaman, and gradually built his reputation and explored his acting prowess through powerful roles in series like Tabbar and Netflix’s The Fame Game, alongside Madhuri Dixit. He was also seen in the Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat starrer, The Jewel Thief.
Becoming ‘Nakul’: The emotional toll of Khauf
For Gagan, playing the character of ‘Nakul’ was more than just another acting gig, but rather a haunting psychological journey which he probably wasn’t ready for. A chilling contrast to his usually charming characters, ‘Nakul’ was an intensely grey character, which, though disturbing, showcased his versatility as an artist. In a statement about the horror series, he confessed that slipping into the skin of such a tormented character was deeply unsettling for him. He said:
“Khauf was an extremely different adventure. I had never done anything like this before — in fact, I was scared. Scared of how people would react, scared of how I’d process the darkness of Nakul. There were days I couldn’t speak to my wife after the pack-up. I couldn’t even sleep next to her. It wasn’t some method acting gimmick, it’s just that when you start believing in a character’s warped logic for too long, your own mind starts pushing back.”
While discussing the emotional turmoil of portraying ‘Nakul,’ Gagan revealed that, despite being trained not to judge their characters, he found it extremely uncomfortable to prepare for the role without bias. He constantly battled within, struggling to come to terms with playing someone whose disturbing thought process and motivations left him emotionally unsettled and restless. He was quoted as saying:
“I have never felt more uncomfortable while preparing for a character. As an actor, we’re trained to not judge our characters and to find their motivations. But with Nakul, every motivation made me feel like shit. I used to think — what part of me thinks it’s okay to think of a girl like that? What demon in me justifies this?”
Portraying the darkness of ‘Nakul’ affected Gagan’s mental peace, as more than being a method acting, it was raw, unfiltered emotional residue from a character that demanded complete surrender.
About the series, Khauf
Amazon Prime Video’s latest masterpiece, Khauf, premiered on April 18, 2025, and has since garnered the attention of fans, especially horror enthusiasts, as one of the best horror thrillers in India. The eight-part series is set in a haunted Delhi hostel room with a violent past, and uses supernatural horror to reflect the societal fears faced by Indian women. Gagan’s portrayal of ‘Nakul’ adds depth to the series, embodying a menace that’s disturbingly human.
Gagan Arora’s early struggles
Despite the massive success of College Romance, Gagan Arora’s journey to recognition as an outsider has been anything but smooth. After his sudden fame in the series, Gagan found himself unemployed for months. In an interview with India Today, Gagan talked about the ‘hiccups’ in his journey, revealing that he had no work for three to four months.
“The hiccups happened after that [the success]. After the release and success of my first show, I had no work for three to four months. Everybody was giving me so much praise and appreciation for my work, I thought I would get a lot of opportunities. What I didn’t realise was that I had achieved a certain kind of character, and I had nailed it. But I needed to work on my acting skills and develop a different canvas of acting.”
However, this period also humbled Gagan and pushed him to reassess his skills. He enrolled in acting workshops across India and began reading more about the craft, realising that it’s only the beginning.
Gagan Arora’s personal life
Gagan married his longtime girlfriend, Mudita, in 2022 after 12 years of dating. Though many criticised him for marrying early in his career, Gagan never saw love and stability as negotiable. He credits his wife, family, and close friends as his emotional anchors, supporting him through rejections, auditions, and the countless ‘almosts’ that mark an actor’s early journey in Mumbai. Talking about marrying Mudita, Gagan recently told Digital Commentary:
“I looked at her and I knew I wanna marry this woman.”
Well, it looks like Gagan is more interested in chasing depth over overnight fame. If his stellar performance in Khauf is any indication, he is just getting started!
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