Exclusive - Mazher Sayed on being part of Anupamaa: It's a big leap for me, moving from a realistic show to something more beautiful and heartfelt

Actor Mazher Sayed , who plays the role of Anil Kothari in Deepa Shahi and Rajan Shahi ’s show Anupamaa , says that he has not played such a character before. The actor adds that he is more used to playing realistic characters and this cute portrayal of a character is something that is very new for him.

“My last show was with my wife, Mouli Ganguly. She played the lead in Janani. It was a science fiction show, and I played her husband. It was a beautiful coincidence that we both were playing a husband and wife in the same show. And before this, I was always part of Crime Patrol as the main inspector, solving cases. It was a regular role and people remember me for playing the inspector in Crime Patrol, which gave me a lot of recognition. Wherever I go, people still mention it. Now, I’m really happy to make the shift from that serious image to a daily show with such a cute, happy and emotional character. It’s a big leap for me, moving from a realistic show to something more beautiful and heartfelt daily soap . I’m really looking forward to this new phase!” he says.

Talking about his character, he says, “Now, about my current character: I play Anil Kothari in the Kothari family . I am one of the pillars of the family. Though, on the surface, it may seem like I'm a solid pillar, the business decisions are actually made by my mother, Motibaa aka Alka Kaushal and my elder brother, played by Rahil Azam. Of course, Motibaa plays a significant role in the family. This is where the twist comes in—there is this hurt inside me because I’m not considered good enough to be involved in the business. On the surface, I’m a happy-go-lucky person, always smiling and cheerful. But deep down, it hurts that I’m not part of any business decisions, even though I come from a big family. I feel like a third wheel or a burden at times. This could eventually lead to conflicts within the family.”

Ask him why he feels the show is successful, and he says, “As for the secret behind the success of Anupama, well, who am I to say anything? Everyone knows it’s Rajanji and the entire team that makes it work. It’s not just one person, but yes, Rupali is an outstanding performer and fully deserves all the praise she gets. She’s hardworking, and every person in the team contributes. Rupali stands out as a powerhouse of a performer.”