Nitty-gritty of Bollywood

Anshul Chauhan

When Anshul Chauhan signed Animal, she was certain that Sandeep Reddy Vanga's directorial venture would be an experience to cherish, but, little did she know that her performance would bring her as much attention as it did. Earning praise as Ranbir Kapoor's younger sister in the film, Chauhan acknowledges that the film is "doing the most for me because the project worked".

"I featured in Tejas, which released last month. I played a substantial part in it but the film didn't do well. I had more expectations as an actor from Tejas, but [I am coming to realise that] a project has to work for an actor to get noticed," she says. She believes her collaboration with Kapoor is a result of manifestation.

Heaping praise on the actor, she says, "He was always there to give the cues, even when the camera wasn't on him. That's beneficial for actors like us. [Usually], lead actors work for eight hours, have their [shots] filmed, and leave. As for their co-actors, it is the assistant directors who give cues. But, being cued by the co-actor always enhances one's performance because reciprocating emotions becomes easier. Ranbir was there on sets for more than 12 hours a day to do that."

Up next for her is the Anushka Sharma-led sports biopic, Chakda 'Xpress. The actor, who plays a cricketer in the film, refers to Sharma as her role model. "Anushka is my favourite co-actor, and the best human being I have met in the industry. She is a secure actor, with pure, and clear intentions. Working on Chakda was a fantastic experience. I learned cricket for six months. Rarely do female actors get roles that are so emotive. It has an element of heroism attached with it," she says, adding that she plays a grey character in it.