Rupali Ganguly opens up about her early life. (Photo: Rupali Ganguly/Instagram)Television actor Rupali Ganguly, who is best known for her show Anupamaa, has opened up about her early life struggles and how she ventured into the world of acting when she was just 12 year old.
In a post shared by Official Humans of Bombay, Rupali got nostalgic as she remembered her father, director Anil Ganguly. She said, “Papa was a national award winning director, & my biggest hero. When his films came out, people admired stars like Rajesh Khanna, but I’d say, ‘Papa is the real star!’ After school, I’d visit his sets. Watching him direct each frame meticulously… I was fascinated. Iss bich, heroine kaise ban gayi, pata hi nahi chala! Once, an actress backed out of Papa’s film, & he put me in it. Just like that, at 12, the acting bug bit me!”
View this post on Instagram
Rupali Ganguly further talked about the tough times she had to face. She continued, “But soon, Papa had 2 flops. Our tough time began, & my dream took a backseat. I did everything—worked in a boutique, catered, even waited tables. I was once a waiter at a party where Papa was a guest! I worked in ads, too–that’s how I met my husband, Ashwin. He suggested that I try TV, & I thought, ‘Why not!’ Soon after, I got the titular character in Sukanya–in my head, I had arrived! But I held Papa’s feedback in high regard. Once, I proudly showed him a scene, & he said, ‘Khud rona nahi hai–audience ko rulana hai!’ He helped me better my craft.”
Ganguly went on to explain how Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai changed her life for good. She also remembered the time when people were shocked because she took a break from work.
View this post on Instagram
Subscriber Only Stories
Rupali Ganguly also recalled that she was still grieving her father’s demise when she was offered Anupamaa. She said, “I was still grieving when I got offered Anupamaa. Ashwin encouraged me, ‘It’s high time you got your due as an actor. You go out there–I’ll take care of everything else.’ But I was hesitant. So, I went to my producer, Rajan Shahi, who I trusted a lot, & said, ‘Give me time to get in shape.’ But he told me, ‘I want a mother, not a heroine!’ His conviction made the show what it is. Being on the sets of Anupamaa made me feel close to Papa! It was the kind of story that he would’ve written, with a strong female lead. And the love I’ve received, from all ages, all corners… It’s so overwhelming. Every day, I do my best to be worthy of it. I hope Papa is looking down at me with a smile!”
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
