ANUSHA MISHRA has had a laughterfilled beginning to her career.
She followed up a delightful debut playing the title character in the hit TV comedy series Tera Kya Hoga Alia with an impactful appearance in her first film Dream Girl 2 recently, which also put smiles on audiences’ faces.
With the new TV comedy Builders and a fast-increasing number of people noticing her immense talent, the loveable Indian actress is someone you will be hearing a lot more about.
Eastern Eye caught up with the popular newcomer to discuss her actionpacked start and future hopes.
How do you reflect on your show Tera Kya Hoga Alia?
It was one of the best opportunities and experiences of my life, which aligned itself at the perfect time. Getting to learn the nitty-gritty of acting while working on such a huge debut project was the best thing to ever happen to me. I’m grateful to Dharampal Thakur sir, Vipul Shah sir, Kedar Shinde sir and all my directors and co-actors for being my teachers.
What was your most memorable moment working on Tera Kya Hoga Alia?
Each memory is imprinted in my mind, so it’s difficult to choose. A favourite moment was completing my very first one-shot scene, without mistakes and everyone clapped to cheer me on. This was from the very first episode of Tera Kya Hoga Alia, directed by Kedar sir.
What did you learn during that journey?
I learnt grace from my on-set family. I learnt kindness and pure joy through the smallest actions from the amazing crew. I learnt that I am capable of much more than I believed about myself.
How did you feel making your Bollywood debut with Dream Girl 2?
Dream Girl 2 was a dream come true. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d get the chance to be alongside legends, whom I’d been watching since I was a child. Not only did they all make me feel so welcome, but also taught me so much. Seema (Pahwa) ma’am, Paresh (Rawal) sir, Rajpal (Yadav) sir, Asrani sir, Annu (Kapoor) sir – I’ve been watching them forever. I’m so grateful to the universe for allowing me this opportunity.
How did you feel making your film debut with such a project?
Raaj (Shaandilyaa) sir and his impeccable writing, direction and razor sharp wit completely transformed this experience for me. I was so anxious, but sir and everyone else made the shoot days so fun and lovely. I couldn’t have asked for more from my debut. Plus Ayushmann (Khurrana), Ananya (Panday), Manoj (Joshi) and Abhishek Banerjee! Like, that’s a star cast right there.
Are you happiest doing comedy?
It’s a complete fluke, but both my debut projects, Tera Kya Hoga Alia and Dream Girl 2 were comedies. And my next project with TVF called Builders is a comedy too. So maybe it’s a genre that’s allowing me chances to learn and improve. I hope I can make people laugh more and more. Although I’d love to explore other genres too.
Would you agree that comedy is the hardest genre to perfect?
(Laughs) As someone whose jokes are almost never appreciated in her personal life, I would completely agree with that. My friends whack me when I crack a bad joke. But to be able to nail a punchline, ensure the entire scene goes smoothly and you’re on mark is quite a task. You also have to make sure the director is satisfied and the writer is happy with the delivery, while the director of photography is laughing behind the camera. Didn’t someone say ‘comedy is serious business’? Ensuring all these factors are met and the audience is laughing when they see it, I do believe it is tricky, but also very rewarding.
What is the plan going forward and do you have a dream role?
Moving forward I have a new web series Builders by TVF. It’s a comedy and I hope people will like us. I don’t have a dream role as such but I do want to be the hero in a film; definitely action and comedy together.
Who would you love to work with?
Working with (producer/director) Sanjay Leela Bhansali sir has been a dream since I watched (his film) Black. That has only been reinforced over the course of two decades. I also love Anurag Kashyap sir’s cinema and Zoya Akhtar ma’am’s worlds. I hope I get an opportunity to work with them.
Tell us something about you that not many people know?
Before I began acting, I was actually a digital marketer specialising in entertainment. I was a creative supervisor and copywriter. In my off time, I always go back to it.
If you could master something new, what would it be?
I would love to master a few languages and dance forms. Dancing is the love language with myself; it’s how I let loose while also enjoying the brilliance of music. So, I’d love to learn bachata, salsa and dancehall. Languages? Because I absolutely love reading and listening to music. So, more languages mean more books, more songs and also more dancing (laughs).
What inspired you as an actress?
I don’t have one single entity who has inspired me. I find the most magical people, movies, shows and actors make me want to be more.
