Mumbai: Actor Rupali Ganguly, regarded as one of television’s most successful stars thanks to the popular sitcom ‘Anupamaa’, had once revealed that she deliberately chose to distance herself from films because of the casting couch culture in the industry.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Rupali shared that her decision to move from films to television was not appreciated by many at the time.
She shared that she was frequently judged and labelled a “failure” in the film industry because she did not do well in films.
“There was one time when I didn’t do well in films and that was a choice I made. Because predominantly casting couch existed in the industry at that point of time, it did,” Rupali said.
“Maybe some people didn’t come across it but people like me did come across it and we decided not to make that choice. So you’re considered a failure because you come from a film family,” she added.
Despite facing criticism, Rupali chose to continue building her career in television, where she eventually earned fame and appreciation.
Her major breakthrough came with the cult sitcom ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, while her subsequent success with ‘Anupamaa’ transformed her into a household name and one of the highest-paid actors in the television industry.
Revealing that the success she enjoys today helped her overcome the negativity she faced earlier, she said, “At that time, I did feel small but today I feel very proud. I feel very proud. My Anupamaa has given me that stature and position which I always dreamt of and I hoped for her. So Anupamaa is like life-changing for me. I am so grateful to god and my father. I think he did it.”
