The current times have been tough. I mean, all of us are home and are trying to find ways to keep ourselves entertained. I have been hearing so much chatter around Netflix’s new film Guilty that I ended up watching it. While I was amazed by the way director Ruchi Narain does justice to such a strong story, one of the characters that managed to stay with me was Tanu Kumar. Akansha Ranjan Kapoor made her acting debut with this film and she surely impressed me. Akansha managed to get into the character of the girl from Dhanbad so well that by the end of the film, she made me fall in love with Tanu.
Talking about instantly grabbing the project when it was offered to her, Akansha said,
It was a no brainer for me I promise. First, when I went to Ruchi’s office, I didn’t think it was such a heavy story. She just gave me a brief on my character and I thought it would be a fun and cool character something like Tanu Weds Manu. Then when I got the script and I realized what the topic was, I was like I want to be a part of this story and I want to be this girl. I love it when people dislike me in the start and later feel guilty for disliking me. That’s the one thing I wanted to achieve.
Her character Tanu was everything that many out there feel is OTT. She’s loud, obnoxious, craves for attention and yet manages to leave a mark on you. Akansha played the character to the T so well that I couldn’t differentiate who the real Tanu was.
Ask Ranjan what Tanu taught her and she added,
Tanu has taught so many things. I won’t speak for all girls but for me, as a girl, I have always been body-conscious. I look fat, I don’t want to wear this what will people think? The feeling of not needing validation from anybody else, I think everybody should imbibe that. I learned that from Tanu that If I like something I’ll do it, if there is something I want to say, I’ll say. The thing of being un-apologetic I think it’s great quality and I lacked it 100%. I guess I’ll keep that of Tanu. I will always remember that if Tanu can I can.
She also spoke about how women should look into themselves and should not try to fit into any societal molds.
Firstly, I want to tell women to look into themselves and be themselves. I’ll give you an example. A few reporters came to me and said, ‘Oh weren’t you skeptical about that you weren’t so pretty and all?’ I think Tanu was gorgeous. In fact, girls have come and told me ‘I wish I was like Tanu, be more confident like her and be un-apologetic like her.’ If you’re true to yourself and you’re honest then people relate to it and appreciate it. People are smart enough. So just be yourself, own yourself and people will own you for sure.
Apart from all the appreciation, she’s getting, when questioned about what her best friend Alia Bhatt had to say, she said,
The story really spoke to her. She was just taken aback with everybody’s performances. She was very happy with the story itself and obviously my first ever acting gig. It was just all happy.
After delivering such a brilliant performance, Akansha is now keeping her fingers crossed that something positive will turn up soon and I feel the same. I for sure cannot wait for her next Bollywood outing and if you haven’t seen Guilty, then you must check it out and do let me know what did you think about it!