I Was Told To Focus On My Acting: Anushka Sharma On Turning Into A Successful Producer

Every time you decide to pursue your passion in life, you will come across two types of people. One, people who encourage and support you to take that step. Two, those who try to scare you off. But then nothing in life comes in easy and you have to ultimately make that big decision. That is exactly what Anushka Sharma did almost six years ago. The actress decided to produce her first movie NH10 in 2015 and redefined story-telling in Bollywood.

She ditched the regular Hindi movie plots that glorified damsels in distress. And, introduced the audience to female characters who were flawed, strong, and more realistic than ever.

In a recent interview, while talking about her journey as a producer, the Pari actress said that there were a lot of people who suggested her to focus solely on her acting career. “I was told by many that I should concentrate on my film career and not get distracted by production. Today, I can’t imagine myself without NH10, Pari, Phillauri, Bulbbul, Paatal Lok and the exciting projects that lie ahead. The journey started with NH10 and while it started with a bang, I can tell you that I was a clueless producer,” said Anushka.

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Anushka launched her production company, called Clean Slate Filmz, in 2013 along with her brother Karnesh Sharma. While talking about her brother, she said that he has, “strong content sensibilities” and they make a “great team” together.

The Phillauri actress also added that she had always been passionate about bringing a fresh perspective to her stories. She said, “I have always felt a responsibility to stand for good content and deliver fresh entertainment to audiences. NH10 was our attempt to break-away from stereotyped cinema, stereotyped films with women protagonists, and wow audiences.”

Anushka, as a filmmaker, has always introduced the audience to women protagonists who can be their own saviours. Her first movie as a producer was a testament to the same and while talking about her experience, she said, “NH10 was a necessary film to shake things up for women actresses. NH10 showed how a woman can fight to survive, can stand up for herself. I’m glad I became a producer with an important film in our cinematic history.”

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While looking back at her journey, Anushka said, “I’m glad that I chose to be an actor-producer and I’m lucky that I was successful doing both. It definitely helped in showing our industry that actresses are not unidimensional. It was an important step to change the narrative in our industry.”

Anushka is the first female actor-producer in Bollywood and she has truly been doing an incredible job in both spheres. As viewers, we have had the pleasure of watching some of the most dynamic women protagonists in her projects. On the other hand, shows like Patal Lok have not just entertained their audience but also given them complex storylines to ponder upon.

Congratulations Anushka! Cannot wait to watch more fantastic shows and movies produced by Clean Slate Filmz!

 Featured Image: Instagram