A wild Bollywood adventure — from Sydney to Mumbai and back again

Indian-Australian actor and playwright, Nicholas Brown on being cast as a villain, and what made him end his time in Mumbai for a different life back home.

Actor Nicholas Brown regularly appears on Playschool — cavorting with stuffed animals and singing about the solar system.

Back when he was growing up in Western Sydney there was no one who looked like him when he’d turn the telly on.

Nicholas became the youngest student accepted to NIDA, straight out of school, but his career failed to launch in Australia.

So, he packed his bags, headed to Mumbai and became a Bollywood villain, working with the Brad Pitt of India and meeting producers who had gunshot wounds from their time in the industry.

But Bollywood wasn't the right fit, and when dear friends invited Nicholas home to Sydney to start a new project, he couldn't resist.

This episode of Conversations touches on epic life stories, personal stories, origin stories, mothers, fathers, grief, family dynamics, LGBTQI, Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan, NIDA, acting, reflection, identity and fatherhood.

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.

Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.

Conversations Live is coming to the stage! Join Sarah Kanowski and Richard Fidler for an unmissable night of unforgettable stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprise guests. Australia’s most-loved podcast — live, up close, and in the moment. Find out more at the Conversations website.

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• Latest episode: 2026-04-03
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