A hot cuppa with Anjana

in the news

I love Sindhi Kadhi, tuk and sai bhaji,” she says effusively, with a laugh that lights up her eyes as well. She deserves the sparkle. Actor Anjana Sukhani is making heads turn yet again with her latest outing on the silver screen, Coffee with D: a mad caper that has been making news for allegedly inviting the ire of the most wanted man in India.

Cinema for humour

The film centres around a television journalist, played by Sunil Grover (and modelled along motormouth telly journo Arnab Goswami), trying to meet the don (whose character bears an uncanny resemblance to Dawood Ibrahim). “There was absolutely no way I could have said no to this movie when I heard the script. It is hilarious,” she says. “I play Sunil’s wife, Parul, who is also a telly journalist, but on maternity leave. She is a little aggressive and yet curious about everything. I loved playing the role and enjoyed myself immensely during the shoot. Sunil’s crazy antics and jokes would keep all of us in splits every day.”

“The idea behind making the movie wasn’t to poke fun at anyone. But we wanted people to take things a little sportingly. A slice of cinema is meant to be taken lightly and enjoyed,” she adds, in view of the angst the film has generated in the spoofed individuals. “I would never take offence, seriously, if I inspired a character.”

Anjana had sworn never to kiss onscreen, yet ended up in a liplock with actor Anil Kapoor in Salaam-e-Ishq. “Even one with Sharman Joshi in Allah ke Banday!” she quips. “So, I have learnt to never say never.”

“Acting in films has also taught me how to bounce back. I live by the anthem, ‘Don’t let success go to your head, don’t be bogged down by failure’. Yet the main challenge in this career is getting projects you really want to do. I have been lucky so far and have been part of wonderful films, including Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, Golmaal Returns, Shaandaar, Salaam-e-Ishq,” she says.

What is the best part about being a film celebrity? “You get to visit new places for shoots and even get paid handsomely for it,” she smiles. “Of course, it is a lot of hard work, especially as you are under the scanner every moment.”

Luckily, unlike other celebrities, rumours of link-ups have eluded Anjana. But she does get to hear about a mythical sister. “People keep talking about my sister. I have only one sibling, my older brother,” laughs Anjana.

Independent her

“I have been an independent girl right from the very start. I sponsored my own education when I went to United Kingdom, and when I returned, I was ready to start my own business involving import and export of garments. Then I shot for a couple of ad films, and movie offers started coming my way. Since there has been no one in the family involved in this line of work, there was immense apprehension. My father was very supportive of my choice of career though my mother was rather skeptical. But things have worked out favourably for me. I have found my calling in films. Call it serendipity,” Anjana states.

She has been busy shooting for projects back to back, and is yet to take time off to backpack across Europe. But as a true blue Sindhi, Anjana has made sound investments to make her earnings breed well. “I guess you could attribute my sharp business acumen to my Sindhi genes,” she laughs, holding up the book she is reading at present, Katha Chanakya.

So what now? “I begin shooting for my next project, a love story, in February. I would love to be part of films like Dangal, Aligarh, Udta Punjab. My wish is to co-star with Ranbir Kapoor. He is an actor simply beyond brilliance.”

She has a pearl of wisdom for aspiring actors: “Stand in the queue, the bus shall come. Do not leave your spot. Keep perfecting your art. I am a firm believer in this philosophy.”