‘I enjoy challenging myself’

VERSATILE actress Anuradha Singh has successfully balanced contrasting characters in two different serials simultaneously.

Her terrific turns in hit TV dramas Pushpa Impossible and Imlie have entertained audiences, but also shown her remarkable range as a performer.

She discussed the enjoy able challenge of doing both shows with Eastern Eye, along with her inspirations, dream role and future hopes.

What first made you want to pursue acting?

We feel so many emotions, including having to act when we are with people. I have a lot of emotions and didn’t want to hide them, so decided to pursue a profession that enables me to live many lives, and emotions. (Smiles) Apart from this you get the name, fame, and money.

Tell us about a memorable career moment?

I portrayed a village girl in (drama series) Agnifera on TV. I hadn’t posted a lot about my character’s look as I didn’t like it much, with those two braids, and orange sindoor. When my role was almost done, I did an Insta live and people were shocked that it was me, and I knew English and everything. Seeing how convincing I was motivated me to explore a lot more in acting.

Who do you play in Pushpa Impossible?

I play a lovely and relatable character named Bhavana. She has a great relationship with the title character Pushpa in a story about unity and set in a chawl, where people help one an other if there is a problem, no matter what their personal equation is. Bhavana is a very simple woman who runs her own business. She shares Pushpa’s pain and happiness, and is always supportive. She has many likeable qualities.

And what about your role in Imlie?

My Imlie character Divya is Atharva’s aunt. She is unpredictable. She likes a happy atmosphere in the house, but if something goes wrong, she is quick to blame Imlie. She is like a negative comic character. She enjoys the moment, but can be upset in a minute.

How do you manage to switch between the two?

I switch very easily between Bhavana and Divya. Once I’m into the character’s getup, I automatically get charged up. I live the character, feel the emotions, and act accordingly.

Do you have a dream role?

There are many roles I want to do. I really liked Swara Bhaskar’s film Anaarkali of Aarah. I always suggest that movie to people and would like to do something like that. There are also many films of [late great actress] Smita Patil I like, and in future would want to play roles like that.

Who would you love to work with?

I really admire Rajkummar Rao and love his acting. He is so relatable and whatever character he plays, he acts so beautifully. I really admired Irrfan Khan, and the kind of detailing he bought to acting, which is something I strive for.

Tell us something that not many people know about you?

I want to discover myself in every layer of my life. I want people to know me in their own way and based on their experiences.

What do you enjoy watching as an audience?

It depends on my mood. I enjoy comedies like my alltime favourite film Dhamaal. I like drama serials as well and anything with acting rooted in reality. I can also watch classy cinema any time.

Finally, what inspires you as an actress?

Getting to know the character and making everything look real inspire me a lot. Creating a person who doesn’t exist in real life and presenting them in your own unique way is the best thing about acting. It makes me want to take on more challenging roles and stay away from any comfort zone. I want this beautiful and fun profession to carry on surprising me each day.