Erdit Asllanaj, known to the public as Portokalli’s “The Doctor,” appeared in a more personal conversation, far from the comedy stage that made him famous. At the center of his account was his departure for France, the effort to start over, and the decision to return to Albania, a step he describes as more difficult than leaving itself.
An account beyond the screen character
This time, Asllanaj appeared outside the framework of punchlines and comic roles, speaking about personal experiences and moments that, according to him, have strongly affected his life.
The figure of “The Doctor,” whom the public has known for years, gave way to a more restrained and intimate portrait, with emigration, nostalgia and personal challenges taking center stage.
Leaving for France and starting from zero
In the conversation, he said that he left Albania for France without any immediate plan to return. “I left without a return ticket,” Asllanaj said, presenting that moment as a choice that opened a new but uncertain chapter.
According to his account, life abroad required starting from zero, in a reality completely different from the one he had left behind. It was precisely at a stage when he was beginning to create a kind of stability that he decided to return to Albania.
The return that proved more difficult
Asllanaj admitted that returning to the country was not an easy move. In his account, the difficulty was tied not only to the change of place, but also to the clash between expectations and reality after coming back.
This detail shifts the focus from the usual story of emigration to the personal cost that often remains outside public attention: not only leaving, but also the attempt to rebuild once again in your own country.
Music as part of the story
The conversation took another direction when Asllanaj brought musical instruments into the studio and performed traditional melodies. This moment changed the tone of the interview and highlighted another side of him, one more connected to music than to humor.
From what was made public, his performance created a closer and more emotional atmosphere, turning the account into a combination of personal memory, art and the experience of emigration.
Erdit Asllanaj’s account draws attention not only to the story of a well-known actor, but also to the weight carried by major personal choices, especially when they involve leaving, returning and starting over.
Beyond the figure of “The Doctor,” he appeared as an artist who sees music and personal memory as part of the same journey.