Apr 03, 2025 08:03 AM IST
Actor Anjali Anand discussed her traumatic childhood, recalling how a dance teacher manipulated her life from age eight until she was 14.
Actor Anjali Anand, popularly known for Dabba Cartel and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, recently opened up about a traumatic childhood experience in an interview with Hauterrfly. She recalled how a dance teacher dictated her life when she was just eight years old and revealed how her first boyfriend saved her. (Also Read: Anjali Anand: Feeling lucky to work with people my parents have already worked with)
Anjali Anand opens up about her childhood trauma
Anjali recounted that it was a dance teacher who “tried to make her a family.” When further asked if he took her into seclusion when he was trying to do something, Anjali agreed and added that he tried to do everything. She said, “I didn’t know what to do. I was eight, just after my dad passed. He told me, ‘I am your dad,’ and I believed him because I didn’t know any better. Then he started very slowly—he gave me a peck on my lips and said, ‘It is what dads do.’”
She added that this went on for several years and that the dance teacher dictated her life. She continued, “He wouldn’t let me keep my hair open. He wouldn’t let me wear girls’ clothes; he made me wear his old T-shirts so that I didn’t look appealing to others. When my sister got married and my dad’s best friend’s son came to the wedding, he had a crush on me and started talking to me. That’s when I thought, ‘This feels normal.’ I just felt stuck. He used to keep tabs on my itemised billing—he knew what messages I was sending. He caught me talking to this guy. He used to wait outside my school to pick me up. And everybody was like, ‘Why is he always there?’ But nobody even tried to see why.”
She recalled that this went on from when she was eight to when she was 14. Anjali further said that she thanked her first boyfriend for saving her and helping her escape from the nightmare.
Anjali Anand’s recent and upcoming work
Anjali was last seen in the web series Dabba Cartel, which received positive reviews from both the audience and critics. The show also stars Shabana Azmi, Shalini Pandey, and Jyotika in key roles and is available to watch on Netflix. She will next be seen in Faraz Arif Ansari’s film Bun Tikki, which also stars Abhay Deol, Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, and Nushrratt Bharuccha in key roles.
