Meet the new Bollywood star kid: Anmol Thakeria Dhillon

Bollywood actor Anmol Dhillon, the son of veteran star Poonam Dhillon, makes his movie debut with the romantic comedy ‘Tuesdays & Fridays’, out in UAE cinemas on February 18. Directed by Taranveer Singh, ‘Tuesdays & Fridays’ is a romantic comedy about a millennial couple who decide to date for just two days of a week, while leading independent lives on the other days. Here’s his take on ...

Being actress Poonam Dhillon’s son: “My mother has been a successful actor and I am happy to be her son. But my decision of becoming an actor had nothing to do with her because they kept me away from the entertainment world while growing up. She wanted me to be educated and then pursue my ambitions, whatever they may be. My producer Mr [Sanjay Leela] Bhansali had never met my mum or dad and they had no connection to each other. My talent agency sent my portfolio to his production house. My co-star Jhataleka Malhotra was also represented by the same talent agency and she’s from a non-filmy background. We had to send audition dance tapes. I had to wait two to three months before I got a call. I have done the grind. I have been a part of so many auditions. It’s not like someone came to me with a platter and said this will be your launch.”

Handling the pressure of making an acting debut: “You can never be too prepared … Once you are thrown out there, no amount of theoretical preparation on what to expect after your acting debut can help you … It’s all a new experience for me. My parents kept me studiously away from any limelight and I had a normal, sheltered upbringing. In my house, being educated and being good humans were the priority. My mum always said be patient, be prepared, work honestly and with humility … So I want to tick those boxes first.”

Being pigeon-holed as a star-kid who had it easy in life: “I got my first role purely on merit and I had to go through the usual grind of giving multiple auditions. My mother had no role to play in me getting my first movie project. As a parent, she’s proud of me, but that’s about it.”

The fear of being trolled and being rejected: “I have always been neutral… Perhaps it’s my upbringing and I am down-to-earth as a person. I am a performer, but let’s face it that I am not saving the world here. I can’t start thinking of myself as a superhero. I am here to entertain people … I just want people to like my work. And if they don’t, I will strive to be better with each passing film.”

His career’s first film ‘Tuesdays and Fridays’: “I don’t know if everyone is commitment-phobic these days, but today’s modern-day relationships are not traditional. The dating conventions don’t follow the usual norms. My film is a quirky, light, and sweet take on a relationship. We are not preaching in our film.”

His film ‘Tuesdays & Fridays’ getting a theatrical release and not releasing on the web directly: “Honestly, even I was surprised. It was such a dark time and hopefully, things are getting better. We faced a lot of uncertainty. Even I didn’t know if my film would go to an OTT platform or the cinemas. It was the producer’s call because they know best. I am just excited and grateful that my first film is getting a theatrical, traditional release. It’s not the most ideal circumstances, but I am intent on looking at the positive side of things.”

Missing out on a red carpet premiere/film promotions due to the pandemic: “When I signed the film, I had those preconceived notions about how my acting debut will roll out. And, that was a part of my dream. But so much has happened in the last 12 months and I am just grateful for being safe and alive. All these things like red carpet premieres start to seem small … I have watched several new actors promote their films in a big way in the past and I felt a little sad. Everything is muted, but I hope for my next film we do this interview in person.”

Being cherry-picked by director and producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali for his production: “I feel fortunate that such a legendary director and producer saw promise in me. Someone of his stature showed incredible faith in our young director too. Mr Bhansali interacted with us a little bit before he went to London for his shoot. He did a couple of readings with, but he gave us all our space.”