'Doors Don't Open Easily For Us'

'We have to keep knocking on it before we get a response.'

Anjana Sukhani has acting for 23 years in films like Salaam-e-Ishq, Golmaal Returns, Department, Don Seenu.

Still, you may not even know her name.

It's tough being an actor if you're not a star kid, and Anjana knows that only too well.

The actor, who is seen in the Web series Bada Naam Karenge, tells Patcy N/Rediff,com, "I won't say there were a dearth of offers in Bollywood but not the kind I was looking for. I grabbed the opportunities that came because it's better than sitting home."

Three years after we saw you on OTT last with Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd and Karam Yudh, you are back with Bada Naam Karenge. Why did you take take a break?

I was chilling. (laughs)

Those shows released in 2022-2023-2024.

In 2024, I shot this show and it's releasing in 2025. So technically, I was on a year break.

I think I made decent amount of money, so I decided to travel for one year.

Your character in the series has unfulfilled dreams. Personally, do you have any unfulfilled dreams?

I think we all have, no?

I have an unfulfilled dream of working with Shah Rukh Khan.

I am definitely waiting for a National Award.

Personally, also, there are so many goals to achieve, so many things I want to do.

Have you ever given in to societal or peer pressure?

Of course. It always comes from family, and starts right from education.

My parents were very keen that I should take up science.

I didn't want to, even though I was fabulous in Biology.

I did try for them for a while, but couldn't. Eventually, I went ahead and pursued a Master's in English Literature and Psychology.

I gave in and they also realised that this is not her forte.

India is big on arranged marriages so many women give in to that societal pressure.

You have a master's from Cardiff Metropolitan University. When did the acting bug bite you?

I am an accidental case of being an actor but wouldn't be anywhere else.

Acting chose me and keeps choosing me every now and then.

So every time I feel I'm done, something will come up and pull me back.

The idea was never to be an actor.

I got into modelling and made money.

I funded my education.

I was still toying with the idea of what to do next when the offers came in. I thought I will take up just one film but it's ever enough.

Once you are in the trap, it consumes you completely. I guess that's what happened and thank God it did.

You starred in big films like Salaam-e-Ishq and Golmaal Returns but didn't get the big parts.

Yes. Sometimes when you don't get the chance that you are looking for, you have to make do with what is offered to you.

Salaam-e-Ishq came when I was just starting out and the star cast was huge.

The director was huge, production was huge.

It was also a great character -- she was the third wheel in the relationship.

She was a catalyst in the story.

You have done films in Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Punjabi... Why did you go for regional cinema? Was it because the offers were good or that Bollywood wasn't working out well?

Both. I was trying to find my ground. I didn't want to say no if a good offer came in.

Like Ravi Teja is a very big star in Telugu, and I worked with him in Don Seenu. I would be an idiot to say no.

Ganesh is a huge star in Kannada, and I worked with him in Maleyali Jotheyali. I won the Best Supporting actress award.

I won't say there were a dearth of offers in Bollywood but not the kind I was looking for.

I grabbed the opportunities that came because it's better than sitting home.

Every once in a while, you disappear but return with projects like Coffee With D, Good News, Mumbai Saga... 23 years in this industry but you haven't done much work. Do you think you need a godfather to make it?

Too late for that now, na? (laughs)

Maybe if I was 20, probably, it would have been a good idea to have a godfather.

I would partially like to blame myself for being choosy.

If I get offered something I don't like, I will not do it.

If you pick up any work of mine, it will not be mediocre.

But yes, (I did) very less in a long span of time. But I still have juice in me, maybe things will change now.

OTT has changed the game for actors.

The parts we were not getting in cinema, we can explore on OTT.

Neena Gupta had famously asked for work on social media. Do you call directors/producers asking for work?

Of course! That's how Saas Bahu Achaar happened.

That's also how Bada Naam Karenge happened; I was a big fan of Gullak.

I don't come from a star kid background, so I have to do a little extra.

The doors don't open so easily for us.

We have to keep knocking on it before we get a response.

There is no dearth of work but there is a challenge to get the kind of work that you want.

That's why I have a lot of gaps in my career; I'm not getting what I want to do.

Are you happy with your career so far?

No, I am not happy. I would have been happier with much more.

I am greedy as an actor, so obviously more films, more challenging roles, more glamour roles... I would be up for it even now.

I don't think this ends here.