The biggest lesson in acting is listening, says RejctX actor Anisha Victor

From the start, her parents had an idea of what she wanted to do. Though her mother was supportive of her decisions, her father wasn’t too thrilled. “But he came around once he started to see my television career taking off,” smiles Anisha.

Trained under stalwarts like dance coach Barry John and acting coach Neeraj Kabi, Anisha learnt to overcome her childhood shyness and timidity. “They gave me the confidence to face the camera. Now, whenever I have longer auditions, I break down the script, which I think is homework every actor needs to do,” says Anisha, who initially worked in sales and marketing for a large company and then interned with a fashion choreographer to make ends meet in the big city and to pay for acting school.

Anisha Victor as Kiara in RejctX.

With barely any connections in the film industry, auditioning never went the way she expected. “Rejections are never easy. I would get shortlisted for almost everything, but would not make it to the final selection. And I couldn’t understand why. But slowly one realises that network matters more than talent in the industry. So, I made my peace with that. I follow the organic way of auditioning and getting rejected,” says Anisha in good humour.

Her perseverance eventually worked, and she learnt to use each acting assignment as an opportunity to grow. “Being on the sets of Aval with seasoned actors like Siddharth and Atul Kulkarni was a full-fledged acting workshop for me. The crew and I became great friends and continue being so. They would cheer me on after the ‘possession and exorcism’ scene I did on the sets. And that’s something I’ll never forget. Those are some of the happiest memories I have,” she shares.

An admirer of Hollywood stars Kate Winslet, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, and Viola Davis, Anisha believes she is “not really in a position to be picky about projects”. Though she chooses not to speak about the nepotism debate that has raged in Bollywood over the past few years, she says, “I’m glad the issue is getting attention.”

Now, due to the pandemic, everything has gone digital, including movies. This has opened up several opportunities for many aspiring actors who were sidelined in the mainstream movie business for several years, and who are now making their presence felt on OTT platforms.

“Movies will always be my first choice. The movie-going experience is what I have missed the most in the lockdown. Nonetheless, OTT has given more actors opportunities and that is the need of the hour,” opines Anisha.

An avid traveller who finds travel to be like “meditation” for her, Anisha is also a painter and normally spends her free time with friends and family. Her short career in the film industry has taught her long-term lessons for life and work. “It’s important to be grounded and humble. I also respect others’ time with my punctuality, which is why I’m always appreciated on the sets. It’s important to not take anything for granted,” she says.

Going on, she adds, “The biggest lesson in acting for me is listening. You have to listen carefully to what the director says, and when your co-actors say their lines.”

At present, she’s continuing to audition for new roles. Her favourite all-time film? “That will always be The House Next Door for me!” she laughs.

First published in eShe magazine