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‘I’ll break your legs’: How Anita Kanwal shielded her teenage daughter from casting couch
Anita Kanwal quit acting at her peak to accompany her teen daughter on shoots and protect her from casting couch advances.
Pooja Kanwal, daughter of Anita Kanwal, made her acting debut with Rajshri Productions' Uuf Kya Jadoo Mohabbat Hai. (Photo: Instagram/Anita Kanwal)
Veteran television actress Anita Kanwal has opened up about the painful experiences her daughter, actress Pooja Kanwal, faced while trying to make a career in the entertainment industry. In a recent conversation, Anita revealed that she fought harder for her daughter’s dreams than she ever did for her own career, turned down work at the peak of her success to accompany her on shoots, and protected her from inappropriate advances that left the young actress deeply shaken.
Pooja Kanwal, daughter of Anita Kanwal, made her film debut with Rajshri Productions’ Uuf Kya Jaadoo Mohabbat Hai in 2004 and later appeared in films including Jawani Zindabad and Blue Oranges. However, despite an encouraging start, she was unable to achieve the success she had hoped for in the industry. Pooja eventually moved away from acting and is now involved in hosting and anchoring events.
‘I struggled more for Pooja than I ever did for myself’
Speaking on Siddharth Kannan’s podcast, Anita said she was determined to help her daughter fulfil that dream of becoming an actor.
“I think I struggled more for Pooja than I ever did for myself because I knew how badly she wanted to become an actress from childhood. She had everything going for her. She was a great dancer, she was good-looking, and she was a capable actress. That’s why I fought so hard for her.”
Looking back, however, Anita says she is relieved that her daughter chose a different path in life.
“Today, I am very happy that she did not follow in my footsteps. She is in a much better place in her life now.”
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‘I would warn people who made indecent proposals’
Anita also recalled having to shield her daughter from the darker side of the entertainment industry. “While she was working in the South, there were people who would call and say all sorts of inappropriate things. Whenever I received such calls, I would give them a piece of my mind. They never called back after that.”
She alleged that several people made indecent proposals in exchange for work opportunities. “There were people who would talk about compromises and what they could offer in return. I would tell them, ‘I will come to Hyderabad and break your legs if you ever speak like that again.'”
According to Anita, such experiences had a profound impact on Pooja. “Pooja was shaken by all of this. It was fortunate that her future husband came into her life at the right time. Otherwise, I think she might have completely broken down emotionally.”
‘When she got a Rajshri film, our hopes went up’
The actress said the family had initially expected Pooja to build a career in television, but landing a Rajshri Productions film made them believe bigger opportunities were around the corner.
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“We had thought she would start with television serials. But when she got a Rajshri film, our hopes naturally increased. We felt that things would finally fall into place and something good would happen. When that didn’t happen, coming down from that level of expectation was extremely painful.”
Anita said she personally witnessed her daughter’s disappointment as career opportunities failed to materialise the way they had hoped.
‘I left acting at the peak of my career’
To support her daughter, Anita even put her own flourishing career on hold.
“I didn’t work for nearly two-and-a-half years. I would travel with her wherever she went for shoots. If she had a shoot in the South, I would go there. If she was shooting in Bangkok, I would accompany her there too. I was struggling alongside her. I left work for two-and-a-half years at the peak of my career because my daughter was only 17 years old. I couldn’t send her alone. As a mother, I felt it was my responsibility to be there for her.”
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‘I understand the pain my daughter went through’
Anita revealed that years later, she finds herself experiencing many of the same emotions that her daughter once battled.
“The pain I am going through today is the same pain she saw and experienced during her own journey.” The actress went on to speak about the emotional toll of being forgotten by an industry to which she devoted decades of her life.
“There was a time when I was working on 13 shows simultaneously. It hurts a lot when people stop remembering you. Sometimes it reaches a point where I feel self-destructive. Just three days ago, I told my daughter, ‘Why am I even living? What am I contributing to society or to my craft anymore?’ I have given so much to this industry. I have played every kind of role and received so many awards. So who is to blame — me or the industry?”
Anita admitted that going from being one of television’s busiest actresses to struggling for meaningful work has deeply affected her confidence. Anita said she often struggles with feelings of purposelessness.
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“I feel so useless. I won’t say suicidal, but sometimes I pray to God and say, ‘If there’s nothing meaningful left for me in this world, then take me away.’ I don’t want to simply exist without purpose. But never suicidal — I have gone through very difficult times in my life and never thought like that. I just pray that I don’t end up living like this.”
Anita Kanwal is best known for her work in popular television shows such as Banegi Apni Baat, Shanti, Kora Kagaz, Kesar and Kkusum.
This article discusses the deep emotional vulnerabilities and psychological distress experienced due to professional rejection, feelings of irrelevance, and career stagnation in the entertainment industry. It highlights the sensitive reality of navigating inappropriate workplace behavior, such as indecent proposals and exploitation, which can profoundly impact an individual’s emotional stability. While the individual specifically clarifies that these personal reflections are not suicidal, coping with severe emotional distress and systemic professional pressures can be overwhelming. If you or someone you know is going through emotional hardships, anxiety, or prolonged distress, please consider reaching out to a professional or contacting a helpline for guidance and support.
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