Alok, widely recognised as All Ok, has always carried a quiet ambition beyond music — acting. With more than a hundred songs, international brand collaborations, and a loyal fan base, his musical identity is firmly established. Yet, as he puts it simply, “Inside me, there has always been an actor.” Over the years, he has explored that side through character roles in nearly 25 films, sharing screen space with stars like Puneeth Rajkumar, Darshan, and Yash, whom he also counts as close friends.
His latest appearance in Anil Kumar’s Cult, starring Zaid Khan and releasing on January 23, feels especially personal. “Anil is a good friend, and Zaid too. When Anil approached me for a prominent character, I didn’t even hesitate. Friendship, the comfort of his direction, and most importantly, the story, everything pulled me to the sets,” he says.
All Ok plays Joy, a character he believes audiences will instantly connect with. “In real life, many friendships are just party companions. But Joy is different. He brings happiness, stands by his friends, and wants to be the go-to person in their lives. Everyone wants a friend like that,” he explains. Interestingly, he usually doesn’t read full scripts before committing. “This time, I went through the story and genuinely liked it. I feel Joy will stay in the hearts and minds of the audience as they walk out of the theatre.”
Though best known as a rapper, acting is not an unfamiliar territory for him. “I was trained almost 20 years ago, around the time when actors like Nithya Menen came into the spotlight with Josh. In that film, I played a musician, and that performance still circulates online,” he recalls. For All Ok, music and acting naturally intersect. “Rhythm teaches timing, and poetry is like dialogue delivery. I constantly work around both.”
Encouragement from friends continues to fuel his confidence. “Yash often tells me I should act more, and Appu Sir used to suggest roles too. I never chased cinema, but now I’m consciously opening myself to it,” he admits.
Looking ahead, All Ok plans to start a production house focusing on meaningful, small-scale films while taking Kannada stories beyond borders. On the music front, he is collaborating with a Hollywood team to promote independent music globally. “Karnataka songs should travel the world,” he concludes with conviction.
