Once forbidden from wearing western clothes, actor started career with Aishwarya Rai film, left South cinema after facing casting couch

Anita began auditioning, and was met with multiple rejections. Anita had her mother by her side when she set foot into the industry. She wasn’t someone who was trained to do this; at auditions, Anita learned the nuances of her craft. Her first role was in Subhash Ghai’s Taal in 1999, where she played Aishwarya Rai’s best friend. Talking about that first stint on the 70mm, Anita said in an interview, “It was a small role, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Subhash Ghaiji had told me not to worry, he would help me. On set, I followed whatever instructions were given, and that’s how my journey started.”

After a sweet stint with Taal, Anita finally bagged her first TV show, Kabhi Sautan Kabhi Saheli, which was produced by Ekta Kapoor. When she auditioned for this role, Anita started crying because she was given a long monologue which she failed to memorize. By then, the young Anita had given up; she had left the audition. “Somewhere, Ekta and Nivedita Basu were so sure that I fit the part perfectly. Ekta brought the script to my house and gave me three days to learn the entire thing and audition again,” Anita recalled.

Anita went on to become a celebrated name on Indian TV. She starred in shows like Kavyanjali, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Naagin 3, and more. Simultaneously, Anita also established her career in films. After Taal, Anita Hassanandani went on to work in Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu films too. However, after she experienced casting couch and discrimination based on body type, she decided to step away from the South cinema. In Hindi, Anita worked in films like Kuch Toh Hai, Krishna Cottage, Koi Aapsa, etc. Her life had its share of ups and downs. One person who helped her through her tough times was producer Ekta Kapoor, especially when she battled severe depression when her film Koi Aapsa failed. While professional setbacks kept happening, Anita had her challenges on the personal front, too.

While working on Kavyanjali, Anita fell in love with her co-star Eijaz Khan. It all seemed a perfect relationship, but it was short-lived. In an interview, Anita called that relationship a difficult one and shared how Eijaz wanted to change who she was, and that wasn’t something the actress was okay with. So, she walked out of that relationship, and it took her over a year to move on.

While all through her life, Anita imbibed the quality to never give up, she stood her ground even when no work came her way. Anita took the plunge with Rohit Reddy in 2013; today, she has a four-year-old son, Aarav. After a five-year sabbatical from TV, Anita returned to the small screen, encountering new challenges. Talking about the same, the actress shared that, “People are very quick to judge once you become a mother. On TV, getting back after a break is a problem. The industry is already assuming things after you become a mother. So even before you can say you don’t want to work, they assume that you will be busy and you won’t take up work. People think that work has taken a backseat, and you wouldn’t want to get back.”

Age also affects the kind of roles that get offered, and today, Anita has chosen to bend backwards if needed; she has even chosen to compromise on the fee that she once charged, only to get back into the industry once again. Now, Anita is seen on the reality show Choriyaan Chali Gayi, which airs on Zee TV.

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