EXCLUSIVE: Akansha Rajan Kapoor says bestie Alia Bhatt praising her Monica O My Darling performance was ‘BIG DEAL’

Akansha Ranjan Kapoor might come from an industry background, but she took her time to make sure she is ready to be an actress and then made a smashing debut with Kiara Advani-starrer Guilty. She followed it up with an impressive performance in Ray and then last month, gave yet another memorable performance in Vasan Bala’s Monica O My Darling, even with an ensemble cast including RajKummar Rao, Radhika Apte and Huma Qureshi. Recently, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor got into an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble where she opened up about the film’s success, her stint on OTT, transition to big screen, sister Akansha Ranjan and her marriage with Aditya Seal, getting praised by best friend Alia Bhatt and more. Excerpts from the interview:

How had it been seeing all the positive response to Monica O My Darling?

“Honestly, I didn’t read any reviews the first day because I was prepared that obviously people aren’t gonna review me as there was Raj, Radhika and Huma, so there is no chance. So, I thought chup chaap kaam kiya hai, your parents will love you and you will go home. The fact that I was in every review and in good things, I feel like I am floating around in my house. Huma also called me and said, what did I tell you baby? Gajraj Rao sir sent me the sweetest voice note praising my performance, and I literally said, ‘sir you made my day, hope to work with you soon’.”

 

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Do you feel that OTT as a platform is quite reassuring for a newcomer, considering there is no box office numbers involved?

“I love OTT because I am new, and I was playing on its safety that you don’t get to see the numbers per say, but after the reviews (of Monica O My darling) I was pissed about it, because it did so well, so I was like someone just sneak it into the theatres. (Laughs) Suddenly I felt angry about OTT because I need people to know it’s doing well. But jokes aside, 100 percent, it’s exactly that reason of reassurance because you don’t want to be written off like ‘ye to flop actress hai’, iska film flop ho gaya’. That’s just so scary. But even in the worst outcome on OTT, at least you won’t be written off. There will still be directors who will see your work. I have friends who have had films release in theatres that didn’t work and when they release on OTT in a month, they tell me they get more messages at that time than when it was in theatres. So, that means at least people are watching you. And right now, my aim is for maximum directors to see me and see that I can act, and that is happening only because of OTT.”

How was it having a clash with your brother-in-law Aditya Seal with his Rocket Gang releasing the same day as Monica O My Darling?

“First it was so exciting that 11/11, lucky number, lucky date, but suddenly as the day came closer, he would be on his phone while I was on mine and my sister was in stress, saying she would burst because of it. It was a stressful atmosphere two days leading into the clash and a fun atmosphere two weeks before. But we both were so selfless that since our screenings were on the same day, we were telling people to go to the other’s. It was logistically a pain, but fun.”

 

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You have a filmy background with your parents being a part of this business. Growing up in this industry, how did it influence your decision to become an actor?

“My decision was made with me coming out of my mom’s womb. My whole life has kind of centered on this idea that I wanted to be an actor, so every decision was because I wanted to act. There was never this one day because of which it happened. But after college, when I was trying to act and all my friends became actors, it gave me more fire that I can do it too. You watch your friends on screen, and it’s like when will it happen for me. So, it just fueled the fire. I never got the chance to be complacent as each of my friends were releasing their films.”

Do you remember how you felt when you received the call for your first film Guilty?

“I can’t even tell you how much I have cried. In 15 days of testing for it, I got the call and I remember March 28 at night, I was with my best friend, my agent called me to say I got it and both me and my friend started howling.”

 

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You have been part of an ensemble and also starred as a second lead. Is there a hunger now in Akansha Ranjan Kapoor for taking on leading parts?

“100 percent. When you start, you don’t think you’d have another girl, or 5 girls in your project. But every project has been a surprise to me. Leading role, can’t wait, but it’s not at all not wanting to do great things that come my way, be it an ensemble or 10 girls project.”

When you work with stars like RajKummar Rao, Radhika Apte and Huma Qureshi, how does it influence your craft?

“I am literally Radhika’s biggest fan and in all my interviews after Guilty, I always said that I want to work with Raj and Ayushmann Khurrana. So, I know they are great and to have a chance to work with them, I think the influence is only a positive one. There is so much to learn from them, their honesty, their drive and the way they just approach things and are live in action.”

 

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You spoke about your initial time in the industry when you had to go for auditions, but now with some credible work behind you, how does the transition from auditioning physically to your films being your audition references feel like?

“The transition has still not happened, I gave an audition just a few days ago. I still have to give auditions, but after Guilty, when I would get ads, I would ask about when is the audition, they would tell me it’s an offer, and I would be shocked. Even in Ray, Vasan sir didn’t audition me as he saw me in Guilty. At that time I knew that Radhika Madan was in it, so I was like obviously I’d have to audition. He told me about the shooting schedule and said that he’ll send me the script, and I replied that yeah, audition script. It took me a while to get that he meant the actual script. I still have to audition but it has become easier.”

 

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Your sister Anushka Ranjan and her husband Aditya Seal have such a beautiful relationship. Seeing such a couple around you, does it make you believe in true love more?

“It makes me believe that I won’t settle for a shitty guy. Seeing Adi, he is literally the best person in the world, and I have had a bunch of nonsense boyfriends as every girl has. So, to see such a stand-up, honest, respectful and loving person, someone who is so truthful and real, it has helped increase my self worth and changed the way of how I see myself and when I choose a partner, how they should look at me. Seeing them and their relationship has opened my eyes to the fact that I shouldn’t settle for less.”

Do you plan to work with Anushka, now that she has turned a producer?

“No nepotism here. (Laughs) I am very avers to the idea of working with my family, I don’t know what it is. I feel like it gets too convoluted and complicated. I also have this insecurity that people might think I got it the easy way, so I do more double thinking. I don’t want to give anyone a chance to do that.”

 

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Your best friend Alia Bhatt praised you for your performance in Monica O My Darling. What does it mean to you to get her appreciation?

“It’s really validating and we are the kind of a girl gang who lift each other up and it’s the truth. We are each other’s sounding advice boards that we are not going to bull***t each other into anything, and that is the case for all of us combined. So, if my friends say something good or bad, I know they mean it. For Alia to appreciate Monica, it was a big deal, assuring me that I am on the right track as she has been in the industry for a long time, so it’s validating.”

 

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Now that you have worked on 3 projects on the OTT, is the transition to the big screen happening soon for Akansha Ranjan Kapoor?

“I think yes.”

Also Read: Alia Bhatt wishes bestie Akansha Ranjan Kapoor on her birthday by sharing a throwback Maldives pic