Neetu Chandra says journey from Bihar to Hollywood took time

Actress Neetu Chandra, in an exclusive conversation with IANS, has opened up about her journey from being a simple girl in Bihar to Hollywood. The actress highlighted that her focus has always been on meaningful work rather than other razzmatazz and “unnecessary” superficial aspects of stardom. Addressing the perception around her taking a break, she clarified, “I didn’t take any break. I keep looking for good films. It takes time.”

She added, “You don’t realise that a girl who comes from Bihar, it must have taken so much time for her to reach Hollywood, coming from nowhere.” Reflecting on her journey, she added, “I am standing at that place again today where I am able to meet you all again. I don’t have time for airport looks. I have time to focus on my next project. I invest my time in choosing the right work so that I can always bring something meaningful to the audience.”

Talking about her struggles, Neetu elaborated, “It takes a lot of time. You have to realise that it takes a lot of strength to stand alone. A girl from a middle-class joint family travelling the world and reaching here, it is not easy to fight alone.”

Neetu further emphasised that her purpose in life and on the work front has always been clear. “My purpose of life, my goal, has always been to keep doing good work and continue receiving the love of the audience. I am here because of that love.”

Meanwhile, Neetu recently shared her perspective on the forever ongoing debate over nepotism and the concept of privilege and non-privileged backgrounds of actors. The actress, in an exclusive conversation with IANS, opened up sharing a refreshing and honest perspective on it all. She stated that she considers herself lucky to not belong to any privilege or Bollywood family, saying that that way she has nothing to lose or any pressure of carrying forward a legacy. “I feel it’s a good thing that I come from a non-privileged, non-filmy background. I will tell you why, I don’t have a legacy to carry forward. I don’t have anything to lose.”

She added, “Let’s be honest, nepotism will always exist. It’s just like how a doctor would want their child to become a doctor. It’s the same in Bollywood and every industry.”

Neetu, who has been in the acting business for almost 23 years, has shared that her perspective for taking on roles has evolved over the years and that she now chases “stories that stay with you.” “Over the years, my perspective has evolved. I don’t chase roles anymore, I chase stories that stay with you. Aakhiri Sawal is one such film,” Neetu said in a statement. She said: “It’s not just cinema, it’s a question that lingers long after the lights go out. Being part of something so intense and thought-provoking feels far more meaningful than simply being in the spotlight.”

The actress added: “Collaborating with National Award-winning director Abhijeet Mohan Warang, whose vision brings rare depth to storytelling, and sharing the screen with a legend like Sanjay Dutt has been nothing short of transformative. It has been a journey of learning, growth, and rediscovery.”

Talking about the upcoming film “Aakhri Sawal,” it stars Sanjay Dutt and will release on May 8. The film also stars Amit Sadh, Namashi Chakraborty, Sameera Reddy and Tridha Choudhury. The film is helmed by the National Award-winning filmmaker Abhijeet Mohan Warang, who made his directorial debut with the Marathi-language drama “Picasso” in 2021.

He won a Special Mention at the 67th National Film Awards. He has consistently delivered remarkable films in both Marathi and Hindi. Some of his works include “Deja Vu,” “Prem Pratha Dhumshan,” “Piccolo,” and the short film “Virtual Reality.”

“Aakhri Sawal” is set to bring to the audience a true story of the 100-year journey of one of India’s oldest unified organisations, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. The film is presented by Nikhil Nanda and Dhanraj Nathwani, produced by Nikhil Nanda and Sanjay Dutt, and co-produced by Puneet Nanda, Dr. Deepak Singh, Gaurav Dubey, and Ujjwal Anand.

Indo-Asian News Service