Main Vaapas Aaunga actor Anjana Sukhani calls Naseeruddin Shah a 'live masterclass'

Actor Anjana Sukhani praised actor Naseeruddin Shah, calling him a "live masterclass" and reflecting on the invaluable experience of working with him in Main Vaapas Aaunga. She said sharing screen space with the acclaimed actor was both inspiring and a learning opportunity.

In Short

• Anjana Sukhani plays Meher, Naseeruddin Shah's daughter-in-law
• She landed the role through a spontaneous video sent to Mukesh Chhabra
• Working with Shah was intense and a live masterclass for her

For actor Anjana Sukhani, Main Vaapas Aaunga has turned out to be one of those rare career moments that feel worth the wait. The actor, who plays Meher, Naseeruddin Shah's daughter-in-law in Imtiaz Ali's latest film, is basking in the love pouring in for her character. Speaking exclusively to India Today, the actor opened up about landing the role, working with Shah and Diljit Dosanjh, and the film's emotional core.

"It's been an absolute marvellous, delightful, magical, honestly, just to be part of Imtiaz's film. I think I couldn't have asked for a better 2026, I would say," she said, still sounding pleasantly overwhelmed by the response. Anjana went on to add how she feels the character was destined, as everything seamlessly fell into place.

"I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra, and he asked me to send him a basic introduction video. I randomly shot a funny, silly video, without even asking him what it was for. In the next 20 minutes, he called me back, saying I needed to meet Imtiaz, and I was stunned. At this stage of my career, what better could I have asked for?" she said, adding that her meeting with the filmmaker was also very brief.

"I think he knew it while seeing the video or looking at me that I am Meher, and he just narrated the part and asked, 'What do you think?' And I told him, 'Do you even need the answer? Of course it's a yes.'. So it was not even a matter of eight hours, that everything was done," the actor added.

While audiences have described Meher as a firebrand who says the most outrageous things without ever coming across as malicious, Anjana insisted much of the credit belongs to the filmmaker himself.

"This could have gone very stereotypical, but he held it very strongly. He knew what he wanted Meher to be. I also feel that his women are never villainous; they are very childishly mature, and very real," she said.

Given that most of her scenes were with Naseeruddin Shah, Anjana also reflected on working alongside the veteran actor. "There wasn't much interaction while we were shooting because I understood how intense his character was and wanted to respect that space. Of course, we did speak, but watching him work felt like a live masterclass. It's been a very heartwarming experience and an absolute pleasure," she said.

Anjana shared that Imtiaz had envisioned her bond with Diljit Dosanjh's character as more of a friendship than a conventional chachi-bhatija relationship.

She said, "He wanted somebody younger who is in the same age group as Diljit. Who is not a typical aunt but more like a friend."

And while the world already knows Diljit's playful side through social media, Anjana shared that what impressed her most was the sincerity he brings to his work.

"He's actually so much fun off-screen, which we obviously see through Instagram. He has a really funny personality, and that's a fact. But he is also so sincere with his work. His eyes are so sincere and so honest that even when you see him perform, there is so much therav (calmness) in his performance. That was lovely to experience live," she said.

As someone whose grandparents migrated from Sindh during partition, the film's emotional exploration of displacement struck a deeply personal chord.

"Both my grandparents came from Sindh; so, I grew up hearing stories from my nani about what their childhood was like there and how they had to start from ground zero after coming here," she said.

The film has also sparked conversations about India-Pakistan relations and whether stories that avoid demonising ordinary Pakistanis are viewed differently today. Anjana shared that the answer lies in recognising the difference between politics and people.

"And that's the reason why I think Imtiaz has very beautifully portrayed the ones creating conflict as Martians. Because normal people want peace and prosperity," she said, adding that unfortunately, society has become more comfortable with conflict than compassion.

"We live in a world where somehow chaos is amplified and accepted more than love," she said.

As the film continues to receive acclaim, Anjana is also receiving renewed appreciation for her own work. But looking back at her journey, the Salaam-E-Ishq actor says she has no regrets.

"Maybe I was not ready or was not offered the things that I wanted to do. There will always be these question marks. But everything that happened led me to here, and I can only be grateful for that. What is gone, I can't go back and change anything. I would rather look forward to this. There are these amazing new-age filmmakers who are trying to tell these beautiful stories and new stories. I would love to be part of all of that. Or maybe work in another Imtiaz Ali film," she said with a laugh.

Main Vaapas Aaunga released in theatres on June 12.

- Ends