Anubha Fatehpuria, the powerhouse performer known for her nuanced and graceful portrayals, continues to leave a mark on Indian cinema with her compelling performances. With films like Bhool Chuk Maaf, Black Warrant, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Ulja Jiya, Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, Sumo Didi, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Lost, Hustlers, Jamnapaar, and Mai to her credit, she was most recently seen in Netflix’s Aap Jaisa Koi, alongside R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
In a candid conversation with Moneycontrol, Anubha opens up about her approach to acting, her frequent portrayal of motherly roles, and why she believes labels and stereotypes shouldn't define an actor’s journey.
“Like the one who is very sanskari and gharelu, but still has modern, progressive thoughts—any role is for an actor to play,” she reflects. “Every role has its own challenges because you’re not playing the same role against the same people. The actors, the co-actors, the script, the emotions—everything changes, even if it's the role of a mother.”
Anubha has often portrayed the role of a mother on screen—a fact that many actors her age may shy away from. But for her, it’s not a limitation.
“Why should it be a challenge to accept a mother’s role?” she questions. “There are actresses younger or older than me who may not be okay with such characters, but I don’t have any such problem. I think I’m an actor and my job is to play the role I choose—whether it’s of a 17-year-old girl or a 70-year-old woman.”
When asked which celebrity she has most enjoyed working with, Anubha diplomatically avoids singling anyone out.
“I think I’m blessed to have worked with great teams and co-actors. I’ve had a wonderful experience throughout. Everyone has been so thorough in their process. I’ve just had a great time with everybody.”
And while audiences often seek behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Anubha prefers to hold each project with equal reverence.
“Every project brings its own flavour and memories. There’s no one project I don’t remember—they all give you something that stays with you.”
One pressing question persists: are mother roles still sidelined in Bollywood?
“No, I don’t think so,” she says firmly. “If you’re talking about screen time, that’s not how I approach a project. It depends on what there is to do as an actor. I’ve played mothers who are a very significant part of the story and the narrative—big or small.”
Even in the upcoming Dhadak 2, Anubha steps into the role of a modern, young mother—a character designed for the evolving cinematic landscape.
“She’s a woman who’s very strong in her thought process. Maybe not formally literate through school or college, but she has a lot of worldly wisdom and she’s the glue holding her family together. It’s a very strong character.”
Working with younger stars like Siddhant Chaturvedi also brings its own rewards.
“He’s very thorough in his work and preparation. It looks effortless on screen. He’s a very nice and gentle co-actor.”
As conversations around typecasting continue, Anubha challenges the notion that she has been slotted into maternal roles.
“I don’t see it as a tag, and I don’t like to look at it that way. I’ve been doing screen work only for the last 5-6 years. There are a lot of interesting roles being written and will continue to be written. We shouldn’t tag ourselves—we don’t know what’s coming ahead.”
She adds that her upcoming projects break away from the maternal archetype.
“I’ve done a film called Dear Maa, my first Bengali film. I’m not playing a biological mother but still a very significant part of the family. I just finished another shoot where I’m again not playing a mother. Even in Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, I wasn’t a mother. I think we are more afraid in our heads of these tags than they actually exist.”
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