shot-button
Maharashtra Elections 2024 Maharashtra Elections 2024
Home > Entertainment News > Bollywood News > Article > Able but hard to fight label

Able, but hard to fight label

Updated on: 14 October,2023 07:17 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Priyanka Sharma | priyanka.sharma@mid-day.com

Anusha says she couldn’t crack B’wood as VJs would be boxed earlier; praises Ayushmann, Aditya for breaking the stereotype

Able, but hard to fight label

Anusha Dandekar

Reuniting with one of your first directors can be nostalgic. Anusha Dandekar, who starred in Mahesh Manjrekar’s Viruddh (2005), says working on his yet-untitled Marathi film not only brought back memories, but also turned her into an acting student again. “He gives the script to actors on the day of the shoot. But he didn’t do that with me, because I had to practice [my lines]. I had a diction coach to ensure I was at a level that wasn’t disrespectful to my co-actors. If I do many takes, it’s disrespecting them,” she says.



After foraying into movies with Mumbai Matinee in 2003, Dandekar—then a leading VJ—was seen in a handful of films. She says that her short acting career had as much to do with her expectations as with the industry. “When you’re at the top of something, you don’t want to be at the bottom of something else. I was happy in my career as a VJ. At that time, if you chose something wrong, you would get [typecast] easily. Today, that old-school thought of boxing people has gone away, thanks to OTT. That said, it’s not like my phone was buzzing with offers [then], and I wasn’t excited about the ones I got.”


Today, Dandekar is happy to see that people enjoy the freedom to pursue different careers and mediums. “[Earlier], people would say that VJs didn’t make good actors. Have we not seen Ayushmann Khurrana rise as a phoenix? We also have Aditya Roy Kapur and Cyrus Sahukar.”

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!

Register for FREE
to continue reading !

This is not a paywall.
However, your registration helps us understand your preferences better and enables us to provide insightful and credible journalism for all our readers.

Mid-Day Web Stories

Mid-Day Web Stories

This website uses cookie or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalised recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. OK