From doing passing shots in a film during lockdown to almost refusing for Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani; Anjali Anand details about her TV to Films' transition

Anjali Anand has been a household name in the Industry with her stint in Kulfi Kumarr Bajewala. In her recent podcast with Debina Bonnerjee, she opened up about how she bagged her first show, how she did passing shots during lockdown for work, her plan on quitting the Industry and more.

When I got Dhai Kilo, the show was written for me. Sandiip Sikcand found me at a Starbucks. I used to choreograph sangeets before so I was there for a meeting. There were men looking at me and suddenly Sandiip sir came and asked me 'who are you, I am looking for my heroine.' I introduced myself and I was trying at that time and everyone were telling me to lose weight. This was a tailor-made show for me.

Sandiip took 8 months to convince the channel that I was the right choice for the show. I was 6 ft tall and perfect for the character. Living in Bombay, my hindi was not that great as we used to speak in toota-foota hindi. But I decided to master the language, I learnt it. After the show people were like I will have to lose weight orelse I won't get work.

I was sure that I would get work for my talent and within three months I had signed Kulfi Kumarr Bajewala and it turned out to be a huge hit. It became the no 1 show on the channel. My life changed completely because of that show.

Debina shared an interesting anecdote about Kulfi Kumarr Bajewala, she said, "I had also auditioned for the show and I lost the role to you. And look how it became a major hit."

When people were asking me to lose weight, I wasn't even overweight. I was half of what I am right now. But it is people's perception, if you see in 2000s all the actresses had a different body types, Karisma, Rani, Raveena were different from each other. Today, all of them look the same. Today we are only saying it that we are size inclusive but not accepting it practically.

Exactly one month after Kulfi Kumarr Bajewala, lockdown happened and there was no work. And morale was going down with no work. I picked up one or two one-one scene roles. I went out of the country to shoot for a scene where I have just a passing shot. There was no work, I'd rather go to Scotland and shoot for that small part.

I had done TV for three years and I wanted to explore more. I was planning to leave the country and look out for another opportunity. I had done my ILETS, was clearing the Visa process to move out and I got a call from Shanoo for the role in Rocky Aur Rani. Karan was asking for me. She has always told me to lose weight and we would work. But this time she called me for a role.

She asked me to send an audition for the character. I felt like I would have to deny the Karan Johar film offer because the role seemed stereotypical to me seeing how Sweetu (Kal Ho Na Ho) or Ladoo (K3G) have been portrayed. And I didn't want to do something like that. But when I read the part, I wanted to say what Gayatri was saying in the scene, its done and dusted on talking about fat people.