Sudhanshu Pandey plays Vanraj in Anupamaa. (Photo: Sudhanshu/Instagram) Popular TV show Anupamaa got its own prequel titled ‘Anupama: Namaste America‘, which is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. The web show presents the story of the leading lady Anupama (Rupali Ganguly), as she is torn between following her dreams and looking after her family. Sudhanshu Pandey will continue to play Vanraj, the dominating husband in the 11-episode special series. Speaking to indianexpress.com, the actor said that he was quite ‘surprised’ when the idea was presented to him. “It’s the first time an ongoing show is getting a prequel. Nobody had ever thought about it. Also, it was quite a big risk to have the same characters in a new story. I was pleasantly surprised but I am so happy we could make it happen.”
Sharing what awaits audiences in the new show, Sudhanshu shared that the story will be set 17 years in the past when the family lived a happy life. There was even romance between Anupamaa and Vanraj, as they both struggled to give their kids a good upbringing. “The flavour of warmth, love will be seen among the family. With Sarita Joshi joining in as my grandmother, you will also get to see some amazing performances. As you witness the journey of this couple, there are also a lot of surprises awaiting. Through this show, audiences will get to see how Vanraj and Anupama became who they are today.”
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Ever since its launch, the Star Plus show has been on the top of the ratings chart. Talking about the success of Anupamaa, Sudhanshu said that he always had a good feeling about it but never expected it to create history. Given it is also his first daily, the actor said he couldn’t have asked for more. Interestingly the creator Rajan Shahi had just Sudhanshu in mind while shaping Vanraj. The actor shared that when he heard the narration, even though he knew it wasn’t going to be a typical hero’s part, he was so moved by the plot that he immediately said yes.
“Honestly, I would have had inhibitions if Vanraj was a good man. If I was offered a character like Anuj (the recent love interest of Anupamaa), I would have never done it. Those kinds of parts are seen on television all the time. A hero, who is not typically a nice man, has grey shades is never seen. That was a challenge for me to make Vanraj look real. He has his vulnerability, gets jealous, is competitive and even has love in his heart. At the end of the day, his principles are so strong and he will do anything for his family. There are so many shades to him that it’s been a wonderful experience playing him. Those mental complexities make him a beautiful character.”
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While he may have had a lot of fun playing it, Sudhanshu confesses that he received a lot of hatred from fans. He added that it’s because people get so attached to characters that they start believing they are real people. “Fans who love Anupamaa cannot understand that reality is completely different. I am sometimes taken aback but it’s part and parcel of the game,” the actor shared with a smile.
Recently there were rumours that Sudhanshu Pandey has been unhappy about Rupali Ganguly‘s rising popularity. It was even said that he was planning to quit the show. The actor dismisses them as rumours. “For me to get insecure, I would need to forget the 47 feature films that I have done, being part of India’s first boy band or being popular across the globe and being associated with the biggest Hollywood films. It would mean there’s something seriously wrong with me. I have a huge body of work and I am pretty proud of it. Just because a character that I am playing is not receiving love won’t make me insecure. Honestly, without Vanraj, there would be no drama. The story won’t be as strong as it is without him. Vanraj is the biggest catalyst in the story.”
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Asked about his biggest takeaway from Anupamaa, Sudhanshu says, “Satisfaction”. He added that it has been a satiating ride for him as there is always something exciting happening. “The character has given me another dimension as a human being. It has also made me grow as an actor. I remember Rajan had warned me that I am used to a luxury wali life and TV will be tough. But it’s been a completely joyous time for me,” he concluded.
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