“I have come to love the vibe and the weather of Doon”

An evening with actor Anil Charanjeett

By SOWMYA BALI

The consummate actor, Anil Charanjeett is in Dehradun these days. Since the last 4 Days he has been shooting for a film. He belongs to Madhya Pradesh, and learnt the rudiments of acting at Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International. In an exclusive confab with GARHWAL POST, at ‘T Bistro’, Old Survey Road, Dehradun the actor shares that he has acted in more than 22 Films so far and has featured in many Ads. He was recently seen In Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus. Read on…

Is this your first visit to Dehradun ?

This is not my first visit to Dehradun. I visited Dehradun in 2013 when I was shooting for a film in Himachal. I was free for 3 to 4 days so I came down from Himachal to Dehradun to meet my very dear friend Anand Kanti. Anand is my very old friend from Dehradun. I am here for a film shoot cannot reveal the name of the film, because it is at a very initial phase and is for an OTT platform. The project is very interesting.

What is your first impression of Doon Valley?

People of Dehradun are very warm, jovial, happy and they come across as very confident. I did not really explore the city when I came here for the first time, but now since I am here for the past five days, I have understood and explored the city. I have actually started loving the vibe and the weather of the city. I absolutely love my friend’s space ‘T Bistro’ Pics: Mohtahim Khan because of the way he has managed the whole cafe. The entire Vibe of the cafe is totally chilled out. It’s a beautiful place to hang out for hours and food is truly phenomenal.

You have been here for quite some time now, I am sure you must have tried some cuisines at the ‘T Bistro’? What did you enjoy the most here?

I really enjoyed the hummus platter, momos and pizza rocket leaves with sun-dried tomatoes. I loved the iced cappuccino and chamomile tea as well. Whenever I am at the Bistro, this is what I love to eat.

You are a foodie and health-conscious too. How do you maintain a balance?

I always try and maintain a balance. If I am continuously on a diet, I always keep a cheat day where I let loose and eat sweets as well. I rarely go for junk food. Instead of white sugar, I try and take jaggery or coconut sugar.

Have you visited any important institutions in Dehradun like Indian Military Academy, Forest research Institute, etc?

I’ve heard a lot about Indian Military Academy and I want to visit it. I have a memory of buying an army attire from a shop in Dehradun in 2013.

What is that one thing you like about the Doon Valley?

The moment you land in Dehradun, the first thing you witness is hills and greenery. This shows how the state has worked hard to keep the city neat, clean and green. I am absolutely impressed by the people and the greenery of the city.

Which is your one film which left a mark on you?

As an actor, every project teaches you something and you learn a lot about yourself. Also you are always out growing your earlier work.  

You have a very long association with Anand Kanti, owner of T Bistro. Share some memorable moments spent with him ?

Anand and I met in Whistling Woods International. He was my classmate from 2008 to 2010. We did the course together. He was into direction and I was into acting. I did a short film with Anand called Kotuhal. I did a diploma film also called Parivrtta. I have spent the most amount of time with Anand as a director and as a friend we have written scripts together and films together. Our beginning as an actor and director was phenomenal. We spent a lot of time together during Parivrtta. I am really happy with how Anand has beautifully developed. The Bistro that Anand has created is amazing. He has used his creativity in making this cafe. People feel very comfortable sitting here, eating and doing their work. Although we don’t meet quite frequently, we are very close to each other. We remain in touch on social media or on call now I genuinely feel I should keep coming to Dehradun to spend time with my friend Anand.  

What message would you like to give to the aspiring actors of today?

Have faith in yourself don’t be scared of failure. Nothing is perfect. Take chances. If you look around, every thing gets destroyed, and then created again. Keep attempting, build your confidence, be honest to yourself, bring these things to Mumbai and then nobody is going to stop you.