Some actors come into the limelight for playing the lead roles, while some are great at playing negative characters. Some others shine from the sidelines. Anjaan Srivastav is one such fine actor. Who would have thought that a bank employee could have such an acting prowess! His parents hailed from UP, and had settled in West Bengal, which is where Anjaan grew up. He acquired a B Com degree as well as an LLB from Calcutta University.
After completing his studies he got a job at the Allahabad Bank. But he couldn’t give up his love for acting, and so joined a theatre group in Kolkat itself. He then moved to Mumbai to try his hand at the theatre circuit there. Soon after he played a small role in the family drama Jeevan Jyoti (1976). This was his first step in Bollywood.
The hit comedy Gol Maal (1979), Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Bemisal (1982), the superhit Mr India (1987), the critically acclaimed Salaam Bombay (1988), the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Khuda Gawah (1992), Rajkumar Santoshi’s Pukar (2000), the poignant and hard-hitting Lajja (2001), the slap stick No Entry (2005), the hugely successful Chak De India (2007) are just some of his films that have made a mark upon the Indian audiences. His 2009 film What’s Your Rashee is to release in September.
But movies are not the only field where he has displayed his acting capabilities. His television career has been the reason for envy of many an actor. Tamas, Nukkad, Alpviram, Wo Rehne Waali Mahlon Ki are TV series that cast him in a major role. But the biggest TV serial of his life is undoubtedly Wagle Ki Duniya (1988-90), casting him in the role of R L Laxman’s popular creation of the common man.
Anjaan’s father forbade him to get into acting, but after his sister’s death he gave in, which is when Anjaan joined Hindi theatre troupes in Kolkata. He has 3 children- twins (boy and girl) and 1 daughter. He joined the IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre Association), and became its Vice President shortly. His love for theatre is evident from the fact that he charges just 10 bucks for a play!