Anshu was one of the few actors to get the chance to begin his career with big stars like Nagarjuna and Prabhas. However, after playing substantial roles in a blockbuster like Manmadhudu (2002) and the Prabhas-starrer Raghavendra (2003), Anshu disappeared from Telugu cinema, only to return 22 years later.
The actor plays Yashoda in the upcoming comedy entertainer Mazaka, which stars Sundeep Kishan, Rao Ramesh, and Ritu Varma in the lead cast. Anshu recalls the time she did Manmadhudu and Raghavendra, “I was very young then, barely 16 years old.
If I were slightly older, I would have taken my career seriously. But given my age, I needed some time to mature emotionally.” Anshu, who then finished her studies and had a steady career as a psychologist for many years, says that she has no regrets. “If I had stayed, I wouldn’t have met my husband Sachin and had my two lovely children. And I am happy with my achievements,” she adds.
And yet, Anshu candidly admits that she didn’t have the confidence to try her luck in movies again. It was only the re-release of Manmadhudu in August 2023 that gave her the push. She reflects, “After the film re-released, my Instagram follower count went from 1k to 50k. It gave me a lot of visibility. It was like my late father was doing things for me from up there.”
After Manmadhudu’s re-release, Anshu decided to book three return flights to India over a span of many months. She recalls telling her husband, ‘I have to commit this time. If nothing happens in 2024, I will be happy that at least I tried.’ The actor goes on to add, “However, I didn’t want to wake up at the age of 60 and feel angry at myself for not trying.”
Talking about her role in Mazaka, Anshu describes her character Yashoda as “a headstrong and ambitious woman, someone who has gone through emotional pain in the past that reflects in the present story.”
The actor remembers being nervous returning to the sets. She notes, “I didn’t commit to a film in 21 years. In Manmadhudu, I shot for merely 12 days, while here the schedule was much longer. I felt like a newcomer all over again. However, after day 2, it was like I was never away for all these years.”
Unlike her previous stint, Anshu says that she is making more diligent efforts to learn Telugu this time. She adds, “I have two lessons a week. The plan is, if I want to work here for a long time, I have to make the effort.” While Anshu credits the entire crew for being supportive and helping her with her language-related doubts, she remembers particularly bonding with Ritu Varma.
She adds, “Initially, Ritu was very reserved. Later, we really connected over the books we were reading. I am really into books about the law of attraction, manifestation, and karma. Ritu too is into these subjects, so it was like I found a soul sister in her.”
She also thanks director Trinadha Rao Nakkina and Prasanna for being patient throughout the shoot, despite the language barrier. She adds, “It’s so weird — sometimes, you don’t need language to connect with someone. It’s the language of mutual respect for creative fields that helps you bond.”
Anshu recalls the contrasting and challenging times many years ago when she tried to sign up with an agency in London, putting her Telugu cinema work on her resume. She elaborates, “They would all decline my application, saying, ‘What is this film? We’ve never heard of it.’ There was no value for South Indian cinema then.
If I had done a film with Shah Rukh Khan, things would have been different.” While she grew up on a staple diet of Hindi films, Anshu mentions that she actively follows Telugu movies now. She also takes note of the emerging pan-India phenomenon, adding, “Indian cinema has become more united. I like the vibe of the industry now.”