Anupriya Goenka is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government’s Bharat Nirman. Anupriya made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu film Potugadu, having previously starred in the 2013 short film Worth the Kiss.
She has also appeared in Padmavat, directed by Sanjay Leela Bansali. And made her web debut with Stories by Rabindranath Tagore and went on to appear in successful series like Sacred Games, Abhay, Criminal Justice, Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side, Aashram, and Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors.
Check out Anupriya Goenka in conversation with WF President, Ms. Namita Nayyar on her journey, acting & 2022 goals!
Namita Nayyar:
Anupriya, coming from a non-film background to having acted in the highest-grossing films in Bollywood, tell us how did your journey begin?
Anupriya Goenka
I started working when I was 16 years old by joining my dad’s business and helping him with his garments manufacturing unit. I was working on the production and marketing side. Meanwhile, I started working in call centers to have youthful energy around me. I juggled the factory and call center jobs for almost two years. After I had to shut down my business, I moved from Gurugram to Mumbai and shifted my family to Jaipur. I continued working incorporates in the city. While I was in my last corporate job, I decided to do theatre for two to three months. The company had given me an open offer to join back. But I never joined back because I rehearsed for a couple of plays, and none of them saw the light of the day. I kept juggling between theatre and a corporate job. Since theatres don’t pay in India, and I needed money, I realized the need for doing commercial cinema. And that’s how my journey started!
Namita Nayyar:
You have also acted in the South industry, tell us about your experience and favorite memory?
Anupriya Goenka
It was quite interesting to work in the South. That was my first year in acting ever. I got a call from a coordinator I had never met. She was based in Chennai, and the job was in Hyderabad. The director and costume stylist met me for an audition. We did the audition at Juhu Beach, and they signed me the same day. It was a 10-month shooting schedule. During the same time, I wrapped my second Telugu film, Paathshala. One of my favorite memory is shooting for the song Devatha in Potugadu. I love that song. It was my first song and I learned how it is all done. The South Industry is very welcoming of the new talent. I really enjoyed working with them.
Namita Nayyar:
Besides, acting in the movies you have been part of a lot of famous web series, do you feel OTT is now the big thing? Also, how do your prepare for each character
Anupriya Goenka
OTT has been a big boon for the entertainment industry. It has really changed the dynamics. Everyone is pushing the envelope with the content they are exploring now. Everybody has got a fresh breeze of life, be it actors, directors, writers or cinematographers. Content has become crucial for the silver screen as well. We are exploring different subjects. Apart from quantity, there is a quality of work happening. Storytelling is much more nuanced. I think there are still a certain number of things we need to work on in terms of pre-production, post-production and execution, but at the same time, there has been a massive advancement in the kind of cinema we are making today.
Namita Nayyar:
Women Fitness India, talks about celebrity diets and workout regimes, do you follow any special diets? What are your favorite cheat meals?
Anupriya Goenka:
I follow a balanced diet. I like eating everything, and I don’t follow any restricted diet, per se. But I am careful about what I put in my stomach. I have a lot of veggies, soups, salad, eggs, and a certain amount of chicken in my meal every day. I try to stay away from junk food as much as possible, but at the same time, I would have it if I wanted to. Like these days, my cheat meal is a bowl of Bhujia. I love having sweets. So, I like eating a small piece of brownie or one cube of chocolate.
Namita Nayyar:
You have in the list of most desirable women, how did you feel about it, 3 qualities that make you desirable?
Anupriya Goenka:
I think the three qualities that make me desirable are my dusky skin, just love my complexion. I think it is one of my biggest blessings. The second would be my smile. Third I would like to believe that the sense of softness and firmness in me, where I come across as someone warm, but at the same time, someone with a strong personality.
Namita Nayyar:
What comprises your fitness regime? How do you manage your workout with your acting schedules?
Anupriya Goenka:
Fitness-wise, I am flexible. I try different things during the course of the year. In between, I was trying boxing. I was also doing a lot of horse riding, weight training, and functional fitness once in a while. I also like doing Yoga. So, I keep jumping around and doing different things. During shoot days, it does get tough, but I try to squeeze in a brisk walk, running, or functional training, if possible. If nothing else, I make sure to do Suryanamaskars. I do take out 30-40 mins of time for the workout.
Namita Nayyar:
Besides physical fitness, how do you keep up with your mental wellbeing, do you try to practice meditation and mindfulness
Anupriya Goenka:
Mental and physical fitness is one of the key ways to be happy and progress in life. Everything we want in life is possible as long as we work towards it from a sound frame of mind and a fit body. We keep chasing after our dreams and ignore fitness, which decreases our chances of succeeding in our journey or being happy. So, please take care of yourself and the people around you. Have dialogues, share your feelings, and be open. Love and work on yourself productively both at the mental and physical levels.
Namita Nayyar:
With, new year around the corner, what are your goals and affirmations for 2022
Anupriya Goenka:
My goals and affirmations for 2022 would be to work more on mental health and physical fitness. I would like to continue my daily routine as much as possible of meditation, writing, working on myself, and traveling much more! I really want to spend more quality time with my friends and family this coming year. Also, since I have a couple of projects lined up. Definitely hope to work on characters that push the boundaries and make me explore new as an actor. I plan on learning a new skill, maybe singing. I would initiate the process for the same.
Namita Nayyar:
Lastly, message for our readers on prioritizing mental and physical fitness
Anupriya Goenka:
Mental fitness is crucial and is not easy to maintain, especially in the industry that we are in. I do follow certain things, and I keep struggling with them at times. But I try and keep developing these habits year by year. One thing I really enjoy doing is morning pages. It is a process where one writes a couple of pages every morning as soon as they get up and vomit out everything that is in their headspace. It helps in bringing clarity to one’s life. Meditation is something that I have always struggled with, but very recently, I have found a little bit of success. It really does help a lot. Listen to music or do something that you enjoy the most, like I love horse riding, to maintain mental balance. I also suggest staying away from social media because it is a big boon, but it can be a curse if overdone.
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