From “Mr. India Global” to Influencer
“Do anything but that” was Dhaval Panchal's parent's response when he expressed an interest in modeling. But once success arrived in the way of glitzy titles and propitious career opportunities, the 28-year-old fashion model earned his family's wholehearted support. As well as winning Mr. India Global 2017/18, Mr. South Asia 2015, Mr. East Coast 2014, Panchal has appeared in films—The Hunger Games, The Internship, Let's Be Cops and The Mule, and TV shows like Homeland and Necessary Roughness. Panchal is also a brand ambassador for Express (fashion retailer), an Instagram blogger, an emerging entrepreneur, and a DJ who goes by the moniker DJ Ka$h by Dhaval.
A scout for a modeling and acting school spotted
you when you were studying at the University of
South Carolina. Had you considered casting yourself
in the spotlight before that?
I used to suffer from insecurity. People used to
make fun of me, and I was always worried about other
people's perspectives. When this opportunity came
my way, I just took it and reassured my parents that
I would not fall into bad things, and modeling would
just be a hobby. But it turned into a career.
Many actors start as models. Were you also interested
in acting when you embarked on a career as
a model?
I hadn't given acting much thought, but I got an
opportunity through the modeling agency I was with.
And I absolutely loved it. I feel free in front of the
camera. I am not shy. I can be myself. It bolsters my
confidence, and I want to do a lot more of that. My agent
is talking to some directors in Atlanta.
Can we expect to see you in Bollywood productions
as well?
Yes! I am working towards that, too.
How did you get into blogging? Is it merely a
platform to showcase yourself, or do you enjoy
the experience?
Blogging and being an Instagram influencer is
something I did on my own. I love my fans. I really enjoy
it, and I like to connect with things I love and look
up to. That's how Express came about. They saw my
Instagram and asked me to represent them. As a
model, I have always wanted to represent something
I personally like.
You have an Amazon storefront, and you are in
the process of opening your own company for drop
shipping in partnership with your friend. How did the
idea for a commercial enterprise take root?
Honestly, I did not know much about the concept
of drop shipping until recently. My partner Rushang
(Ryan) Patel and I thought, “What's the best way not to
work hard but smart?” We hired overseas employees
for our Amazon Storefront business that we opened
just a few months ago, and we are in the process of
opening our own company for drop shipping. It's
online e-commerce, and we contract almost entirely
with Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Wal-Mart.
On your website, you talk about a long journey
that brought you to where you are today. What were
the most significant hardships along that journey?
A lot of people did not support me. People made
fun of me and said hurtful things. But I learned to stop
worrying about what others think and kept pushing
myself. I had to stay positive and
show my talent.
What advice would you
give an aspiring South Asian
model?
Put yourself out there. Be
confident. Never give up. Keep
working hard. Stay focused.
Sometime family won't support
you. "This will not get you
anywhere," they will say and
tell you to focus only on education.
That's when you have
to prove yourself and make
it happen, no matter what. It's
not easy, but it's always possible.
Your ethnicity is not instantly
evident in your features;
did you nonetheless encounter
veiled directives to limit yourself
to agencies representing
diversity?
I am proud of my roots and my community, but
I did not focus on my ethnicity. I applied everywhere.
I have emailed thousands of agencies, and thousands
did not get back to me, but I persevered. It comes
down to what each agency is looking for, that's it.
In addition to pursuing acting opportunities in the
U.S. and India, what's currently stirring in your world?
I am very excited about a project in the works—with TikTok stars, but I can't name them at the
moment. I recently created an Instagram Filter for
"Old Bollywood Classic Movie." It's in the process of
being approved by Facebook. And also … there is the
possibility of going to the Oscars as an Instagram
influencer. That would be great.
Author of Kismetwali & Other Stories, Reetika Khanna is an Atlanta-based freelance writer who likes to spotlight people with purpose. She has worked with ELLE as a senior features writer, and as an associate features editor with ELLE DÉCOR, Mumbai. For more, go to ReetikaKhanna.com
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