Veteran actress Anita Kanwal has spoken about acting Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal finally getting his due as a performer, he too candidly admits that he hopes for his “Dhurandhar moment” someday.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan in a recent interview, Anita reflected on working with Akshaye in Laawaris and Arjun in Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat.When Siddharth pointed out that the two actors are being celebrated as “underrated” and “potential” when they didn’t get enough recognition earlier in their careers, Anita responded with humor and honesty.“Mera viewpoint yeh hai ki mujhe kab ‘Dhurandhar’ milega?” he laughed.
Anita Kanwal says Dhurandhar gave her hope
The actress praised the casting Rakesh Bedi in the upcoming film Dhurandhar opposite Ranveer Singh.“Dhurandhar mein Rakesh Bedi… saare jitne bhi character actors hain… kitna achha kaam kiya unhone. One day I googled the movie and saw ‘Ranveer Singh and Rakesh Bedi starrer'”. I was so proud,” Anita shared.He added that actors never stop waiting for meaningful roles, regardless of age.“Issi umeed pe main jee rahi hoon ki mera bhi ‘Dhurandhar’ milega,” he said, citing legendary actress Zohra Sehgal as an example of someone who continued to do memorable work in old age.
‘The characters of older women are rarely written’
Anita also spoke about the lack of important parts for older actors in the industry.“In our country there is unfortunately no age, especially for women. Older characters like hi nahi jaate,” she said, noting how many younger actors are in older roles.The actor also recalled his experiences on set with Akshaye and Arjun and described their personalities as completely different.Calling Akshay “very serious” and reserved during Laawaris’ shoot, “Hi ma’am…that’s it.”On the other hand, she described Arjun Rampal as a “mast maula” and someone who was always cracking jokes on the sets of Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat.
Anita Kanwal on Rajiv Rai’s stress during the underground threat phase
The actor further recalled filmmaker Rajiv Rai, who directed Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat, and admitted that he appeared visibly stressed at the time amidst the alleged underground threats.“He was very tense. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t know his character personally, but he seemed very stressed,” he said.In the same interview, Anita also reflected on her transformation over the years, from a dubious newcomer to the now-significant and fearless.“Success gives you the confidence to speak. Before I would think four times before saying anything,” he said.
