Interview | Akansha Ranjan on 'Ikka', Marriage, Telugu Debut and 6 Years In Bollywood: ‘I'm Cautiously Optimistic’

Akansha Ranjan made her film debut in 2020 with Guilty, a fairly recent entry into the industry, but one that has given her enough perspective to joke that she probably wouldn't land the role if it were shot today.

As the daughter of actor and director Shashi Ranjan and Founder of The Indian Television Academy Anu Ranjan, she's no stranger to the assumptions people make about star kids. Though her childhood has given her a glimpse into movie sets, and occasional encounters with actors, she wishes to keep her fascination with the industry alive.

This year, the actor starred in two major titles: Ikka, where she makes a special appearance as the character Soma Mittal, starring alongside Akshaye Khanna, and Season 2 of Gram Chikitsalay, headlining the series alongside Amol Parashar as Dr. Gargi. She is next to make her South debut in a Telugu film.

In an exclusive conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Ranjan talks about Akshaye Khanna's 'intimidating' presence on the set of Ikka, the likelihood of working with her husband and director Sharan Sharma, the misconceptions about being an industry kid, and her upcoming Telugu film.

Congratulations on your wedding with Sharan Sharma. He has directed some wonderful films like Gunjan Saxena and Mr. and Mrs. Mahi. Can we expect to see you in one of his projects someday?

When we started dating, we decided that our relationship won't be transactional because it can cause a lot of drama, friction and unrealistic expectations. We’re professionals and we’re both trying to build our careers.

We’re growing personally as well. Though we talk about work, give advice and feedback, we never mix it up. It's better that way, and if our paths cross, it'll be purely because we think I’m good for that role.

What was it like working with Akshaye Khanna in Ikka?

I find his persona intimidating. There was this silence and reverence when he entered the set, and you could feel the significance of someone like him walking in.

I felt intimidated by him when we were sitting side by side in the car for our first scene, but I kept reminding myself that he’s just my co-actor and we eventually warmed up to each other when we started acting.

It’s a common assumption that you’re part of the Kapoor family since your last name is Kapoor, but that’s not the case. Is that why you dropped Kapoor from your name?

I dropped it because this is a huge misconception. My mum is a Kapoor. I took her surname when I was in school and I used it on Facebook.

I remember my first acting gig. It was a song called 'Tere Do Naina', and they had asked me, 'what’s the credit you want? Akansha Kapoor or Akansha Ranjan?’ I didn't even think I would get asked that professionally, but I thought it would be cool to be Kapoor.

Your parents are also part of the industry. Your dad, Shashi Ranjan, is an actor and director, and your mom, Anu Ranjan, is the founder of The Indian Television Academy. Having grown up in the industry, was it easier to navigate?

I think that's a misconception. Though my dad trained to be an actor, it didn't quite work out. I’ve seen a lot of failure and rejection growing up. My mom came from L.A. and had no clue what direction to take with her life. So, there was a lot of normalcy around.

Quite frankly, I’ve seen a different side of (the industry) which is why I'm very grounded and realistic with my expectations. I don't call myself a victim at all. All I'm saying is I've had a different journey. Don’t box me into the kind of person you think I am, which happens a lot.

You made your film debut with Guilty in 2020, which is still fairly recent in the grand scheme of a career. The industry has shifted so much since then. How do you make sense of where you stand in it now?

I feel our industry is still playing it safe. I sometimes joke that today, I wouldn't be cast for my own role in Guilty. They would want to go for the big names instead. Platforms used to be interested in getting new actors and betting on newcomers because their background didn’t matter. The entire point of streaming was that we're different.

It’s almost like we’ve lost the sanctity of what streaming came to be and what it originally wanted to be. But, I'm still hopeful because there's still love for creating good work and connecting to the audience. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Where do we expect to see you in next?

I am doing a Telugu film. I'm excited because it is my biggest project yet.