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I will always go where work takes me and remain open minded!: In Conversation with Actor Aneesha Joshi

A trained dancer and actor, Aneesha Joshi has worked in films like Simran and Padmaavat in the past, before getting noticed in Iram Parveen Bilal‘s international film, “I’ll Meet You There” which is currently doing the film festival round. Here’s an excerpt of a conversation we had with her recently.

Tell us about your upcoming movie ‘I’ll Meet You There’ ? How was it working with Parveen Bilal?

I was lucky enough to book the role of “I’ll meet you there” through a self tape audition that I did from Mumbai! I have a fantastic agent in Los Angeles who really made sure they saw my tape!The genre of this film is a lovely coming of age drama that highlights the trials and lessons of finding the balance between one’s cultural expectations and dreams. The character of Sarah was lovely. She’s the anchor to her more courageous and brave friend Dua, who is on a mission to uncover more of her mysterious past. To prepare for the role I spoke at length with the director before rolling and kept an open dialogue with my co actors to leave moments of discovery throughout! My experience of shooting for I’ll Meet You There was wonderful. It was so inspiring to be among South Asian women in Hollywood, all representing our culture proudly and through such nuanced performances.

You have worked as an assistant makeup artist for the short film ‘100: The Tribute’! Tell us about your journey from being a make-up artist to playing a lead actor in Duane Adler’s ‘Heartbeats’? 

My job as a makeup artist during 100: the tribute (directed by Raashi Desai and Siddhi Sundar) was a very fun experience. I was still studying at BU at the time and went down to New Jersey to assist! My sister was the lead actress of the film so it felt very close to home, creative, and collaborative!

You are a trained classical dancer! Is there any upcoming song cover you are working on next?

Classical dance is an art form extremely close to my heart. I have been training in various forms since the age of 4! I’m always on the hunt for fun songs to cover, when the right one inspires me I’ll be sure to shoot it!

You work with both the industries don’t you find it hectic and how do you manage to get through it?

The world is growing increasingly small these days. I have some great role models who have managed to navigate working in both India and America with so much finesse. I will always go where work takes me and remain open minded! A little sense of adventure is what makes life worth living after all!

What is your take on nepotism?

Nepotism is a hot topic in India of late. While I understand both sides of the argument, I’m a firm believer that no matter what, talent eventually prevails. A newcomer with no industry connections shouldn’t be axed from conversations if they have the talent! Unfortunately star children are under a tremendous amount of scrutiny which can also be difficult to navigate. If studios and producers are fair and partial, we might however see a wider variety of performers in leading roles.

Upcoming projects you’re working on?

I have a few exciting projects coming up that I’m unfortunately unable to comment on, hoping to get back to work on them as soon as the state of emergency is lifted, as I’m sure many of us are!

Aneesha Joshi excited for the release of her International project ‘I’ll Meet You There’

Actress Aneesha Joshi is looking forward to the release of her International project ‘I’ll Meet You There’. Written and directed by Iram Parveen Bilal, the film is a domestic drama set in a Pakistani immigrant community in Chicago. The movie premiered in the narrative competition of the SXSW Festival, Texas and received very positive feedback.

Aneesha plays the role of Sara in the film who is a conservative Muslim girl who holds onto her ideals despite her peers progressive attitudes. Speaking about her role, Aneesha said, “When I read the script, I was instantly drawn to the role of Sara as I could relate to the struggle of balancing identity and culture while growing up in the West. The pressures of living up to your family expectations and standards of success can often be stressful. I’ll meet you there is a lovely depiction of a coming of age story and celebration of culture and what it means to understand one’s dreams.”

 

Aneesha lends support on screen to Nikita Tewani and had a lovely time doing so.  Speaking about her experience of working with a global team, the actress said, “I have had an amazing time collaborating with Parveen Bilal and the entire cast and crew. We received great feedback at one of the biggest film festivals in the US- SXSW and I am genuinely excited for its release now. Also the diaspora showcased in the film is really interesting with their own set of challenges, I learnt a lot, not just as a performer but also as a person”.
The 1 hr 30 minute long drama is about a Muslim cop who goes undercover at his estranged father’s mosque while his daughter hides her passion for a forbidden dance, uncovering a shocking family secret. The film is slated to release worldwide on a leading digital platform.
Aneesha Joshi is known for her work as a lead actor in Duane Adler’s ‘Heartbeats’. She was also seen in ‘Simran’  and ‘Padmavat’ in character roles.

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