DAM: Instead of waiting for an opportunity, Indian-Australian Actor, Producer and Magician, Saksham Sharma, started his career by creating his own work on Youtube. A decade later and he’s grown an audience of over 5.7million subscribers, posting Magic and Hip Hop Dance videos – to becoming the youngest South Asian to write, produce and star in the Youtube series Unknown Filter, which received significant funding from Screen Australia and Google. His journey lead him to being featured as a magician on Australia’s got Talent (2019) to being cast in feature film Sahela (produced by Dev Patel & written by Atika Chohan) – and finally the sequel to The Ice Road (2019), where he stars alongside Hollywood icon Liam Neeson. We chat with Saksham on his experience filming Ice Road: Vengeance (2025) and his advice to other diverse creatives in Australia.
ICE ROAD: VENGEANCE: ‘Mike goes to Nepal to sprinkle his brother ashes on Mount Everest. When Mike and his mountain guide come upon a bunch of mercenaries while travelling on a tour bus they are forced to fight to save themselves, the passengers and the country.’
DAM: Saksham, can you tell us about the audition process for Ice Road? What was that moment like when you found out you got the part?
SS: It was actually kind of surreal — I got the audition for Ice Road 2 literally the day after I watched the first film on Netflix. At the time, I had no idea it was for a lead role or that I’d be working alongside someone like Liam Neeson. I recorded two different takes for the audition, and not long after, casting told me I was in the director’s cut — which was exciting, but then things went quiet for a while. So much time passed that I actually forgot I’d even auditioned. Then out of nowhere, I got the call saying I’d landed the role. The twist? I’d just booked a major role in a Paramount+ series, and both were filming at the same time. I had to make a tough decision — but ultimately, I chose the Hollywood project.
“At the time [of the audition], I had no idea it was for a lead role or that I’d be working alongside someone like Liam Neeson.”
saksham sharma
DAM: Was there a difference in how a Hollywood set runs compared to Australian ones you’ve been on?
SS: Yeah, there are definitely differences. Hollywood sets tend to operate on a much larger scale — bigger crew, bigger budget, and a different kind of pace. That said, Australian crews are some of the hardest-working and most creative people I’ve met, so while the scale might be different, the professionalism and passion are just as strong.
DAM: What was it like working with Hollywood legend Liam Neeson?
SS: It was honestly one of the most unforgettable parts of the experience. Not only is Liam a screen icon, but he’s also such a kind, humble person. I’m actually a magician as well, so I ended up doing magic tricks for him on set between takes — which he loved! In return, he gave me acting tips and shared stories from his career, which was incredible.
“Not only is Liam a screen icon, but he’s also such a kind, humble person. I ended up doing magic tricks for him between takes — which he loved! He gave me acting tips and shared stories from his career, which was incredible.”
saksham sharma
DAM: What do you hope audiences might take away after watching Ice Road 2?
SS: At its core, Ice Road 2 is about survival — but it’s also about the deeper idea that life is for the living. My character goes through a major emotional arc — from being kidnapped, to dealing with the loss of a loved one, to confronting a complicated relationship with his father. There are a lot of ups and downs, but also moments of humor and connection, especially in the dynamic with Liam Neeson’s and Fan Bingbing’s characters.
“At its core, Ice Road 2 is about survival — but it’s also about the deeper idea that life is for the living.”
saksham sharma
DAM: Any words of advice to other diverse actors in Australia hoping to get into the film industry?
SS: Waiting for opportunities won’t get you anywhere, I don’t believe in luck — you have to create them. For me, I’ve been producing YouTube content for over a decade, and I’ve built an audience of over 5.7 million subscribers. That journey led to me writing and producing my first original project, Unknown Filter, which received $137,000 in funding from Google/ScreenAus to become an official YouTube series. That opened the door for me to get representation in the US and start developing my own writing projects. Right now, we’ve got a feature film in development that I’m super excited about. So if you’re a diverse creator — don’t wait for permission. Tell your stories, build your platform, be so F*****g good that the industry will take notice.
“I’ve been producing YouTube content for over a decade, and built an audience of over 5.7 million subscribers. That led to me writing and producing Unknown Filter which opened the door to get US representation and start developing my own writing projects. So if you’re a diverse creator — don’t wait for permission. Tell your stories, build your platform, be so F*****g good that the industry will take notice.”
saksham sharma
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Ice Road: Venegeance is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Find more on Saksham here:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SakshamMagic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sakshammagic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sakshammagic
Website/Store: https://sakshammagic.store/
Diversity Australia Magazine 