Kacha Badam sensation Anjali Arora: I want to be the producers’ only choice, not an option

Delhi-based social media influencer Anjali Arora caught the attention of netizens after her dance video on the trending song Kacha Badam went viral on the internet, but it was only after her stint on the reality show Lock Upp that she became a household name. In an interview, the model-turned-actor talks about carving out a niche in showbiz, where one has to compete at every step to sustain.

Excerpts:

How would you say life has changed for you after being part of a reality show like Lock Upp?

Earlier I was treated like a social media influencer, but after the reality show, people’s perception of me has changed. Now, they have started acknowledging my potential and talking about my work with seriousness. They consider me an actor and not just another content creator. Also, there are some people, who have been working in the industry for a long time and have started seeing me as their competition. ‘Ye naye aaye hain aur humse aage jaarhe hain’, they say. I do not know why they feel like that.

But it’s true that there is a lot of competition in the industry. How do you deal with the pressure of remaining relevant? 

Nothing is easy in this industry. You have to work hard to carve a niche here, and I do that. My audience is happy with me, and I make sure that I do not disappoint them with my work. Also, I work a lot on myself. I notice my flaws…acknowledge my mistakes and work to correct them. There is not a single day when I don’t make efforts to bring improvement to my personality as well as my art and the results that I see are very satisfactory. I am definitely improving. 

What kind of improvements have you noticed in yourself? 

Earlier, I was an introvert, who could not even talk about her feelings and thoughts openly.  But now, my speaking skills have improved, and I don’t hesitate when speaking my heart out. I have become more confident. I don’t care much about the reactions, and say what I want to. So all in all, I have improved in many ways, and I am liking this change. 

You have often been the target of trolls on social media. How do you take that? 

Trolls and controversies are part of this industry. I have already come to terms with the fact that as long as social media platforms allow users to express their opinions in an open forum, there will always be trolls and controversies. All you need to do is ignore them. Instead of concentrating on how to make them vanish forever or get upset about it, I believe it is better to develop a strategy to lessen their impact and to continue doing what needs to be done to persuade the audience. 

Do you think a line needs to be drawn when it comes to sharing your life on social media? 

Social media is full of people who find different ways to trouble you. So I agree that a line needs to be there. But I also have Anajalians (my followers) and they are very loyal to me. I also treat them like my family. The way they understand me and motivate me, I don’t think anybody else does. So I cannot and do not want to hide anything from them. Our bond is very transparent. They know everything – what I like, what I don’t, what’s important to me, what bothers me etc. Even if I don’t tell them about something, they find out. I don’t know how, but they get to know everything about me. 

Are you happy with the projects coming your way? Is it exactly the kind of work that you always wanted to do?

Yes, I am definitely happy because I am working hard but this is not exactly what I always wanted to do. So far, I have done music videos in Punjabi and Hindi. I have also done a reality show, but what I actually want to do is act in films and OTT series. That’s what I am aiming for. I am in talks for a couple of shows, let’s see if things work out well for me. 

You mentioned that you are looking forward to working on OTT. What kind of characters would you like to play?

I am open to playing all kinds of characters, my only requirement is that it should be something fresh and unattempted. I do not mind doing daily soaps as well if the characters are strong. 

What about playing bold roles? How comfortable are you to get out of your comfort zone?

No, I won’t [do bold roles]. I don’t want people to feel uncomfortable while watching me in a show. Many actors are doing that, but it’s their choice. I am nobody to tell them what’s right or wrong. Having said that, playing a certain type of character also depends on the comfort of an actor. So, if I  feel that the project will give me that space to feel comfortable and also help me in my career growth, I might do it.

Tell us something about what’s planned for the future in terms of goals?

I want to become the only choice for producers and not an option. They should say that we want nobody but Anjali for this project. That’s what I am aiming for.