Actors today are losing their mystery, says Anjali Anish

“I’m Gen Z, but I still miss the mystery around actors,” says Kannada actor Anjali Anish, who believes today’s culture of constant online visibility often leaves little room for intrigue. Having experienced both the highs of validation on film sets and the silence that follows once shoots wrap, the actor says she has gradually learnt to separate her self-worth from the unpredictability of cinema. In a conversation with Bangalore Times, Anjali, who is currently working on Ananta Padmanaabha alongside Rishi and Prakash Raj, opens up about social media pressure, rejection, visibility, and finding mental balance in the industry.


‘The silence after a film has taught me there’s more to life’

“When you’re on a film set, you receive so much attention and validation all the time. Then suddenly you go home, and there’s complete silence. That shift is very hard to handle,” she says candidly. The actor adds that she has slowly learnt to detach herself from the do-or-die mentality she once associated with her career.
“I genuinely used to think this industry was everything — like if acting didn’t happen for me, life would end there. But over time, I realised this is not worth losing your mental peace over. Because I’m choosy, there are months during which I’m simply sitting at home and not working. Earlier, that affected me a lot mentally. But now I’ve developed more trust in divine timing,” she shares. Anjali says growing older and facing rejection has made her mentally stronger.

‘Social media has reduced the mystery around actors’

In today’s social media-driven industry, where actors are expected to constantly market themselves online, Anjali admits she often feels disconnected from the culture of overexposure. “I’m Gen Z, but I grew up admiring that classic movie-star mystery. I still love the idea where audiences know very little about the actor beyond their work,” she says. “As an audience member myself, I feel the less I know about an actor’s personal life, the easier it is for me to accept them as a character on screen. I think that’s why I naturally try to maintain some mystery too. I can do 10 films a year or post reels every day, but it also needs substance. The right visibility is important,” she explains, adding, “As an actor, sometimes you’re just dying to work. You want to be busy and be on set all the time. But if you’re not doing the right project or working with the right people, even being on set doesn’t feel great. By the right project, I mean a good team and a healthy environment to work in. Otherwise, it feels like an injustice to yourself as an actor,” she says.

The actor says observing the journeys of her contemporaries also changed her perspective on fame and visibility. “I’ve realised that even doing a big film doesn’t always give you the result you hoped for. Visibility is very uncertain. Earlier, I used to think uncertainty was scary, but now I actually think it’s exciting because you can experiment more,” she shares.

‘Women in cinema are judged for everything they do’

Anjali says she wants to portray female characters with emotional depth rather than reducing them to glamour alone. “Not every story needs a woman at the forefront all the time, but I do think female characters should have substance,” she says. Speaking about objectification in cinema, the actor says the conversation is far more layered than it appears. “Actresses are judged a lot for the films they do, the clothes they wear, or even what they post online. A lot of being an actor is also about how you look — that’s the reality of this industry. People want to see attractive people on screen,” she says.