Exclusive: Cinema enables Anuritta to Find and Lose herself at the same time

"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart!" is how actor Anuritta K Jha would like to be introduced to all and sundry.

Born in a family of litterateurs, Anuritta spent her early years in Katihar, Bihar and moved to Pilani in Rajasthan for schooling, and from there she landed in New Delhi to study fashion. And all through her growing up years, she was fascinated with the glitz and glamour that came along as a perk for a model. "I always wanted to be a model," she said, with a childish grin.

Gifted with a beautiful visage, chiselled body and towering height, she became a sought-after name in the fashion world. Soon, she was all over, you name it, and she's been there, done that! A popular face in Delhi's modelling circuit in the mid-Naughties, she made a grand entry in the City of Dreams by winning Channel V's Get Gorgeous contest in 2006.

Winning the beauty pageant gave her a perfect launchpad in Mumbai's modelling world. "It gave me an opportunity to explore, learn and grow in this industry." From being a fashion student to a fashion model, it had been a smooth transition for her, and she soon set eyes on the big screen. "It was an expected move, barely a matter of when and not why for me," she said. Her ardent suitor, success followed here as well.

If Anuritta's granddad Upendra Nath Jha 'Vyas', Sahitya Akademi Award winner and first Chief Engineer of Bihar, has left behind an enviable literary legacy with his remarkable contribution to Maithili literature, her parents — Dr Shailendra K Jha and Dr Bhanu Jha — have done that as acclaimed economists. That's quite a legacy. Her paternal uncles are academicians and litterateurs par excellence. "As a kid, my grandfather used to make all the children assemble in the courtyard and recite Shlokas in Sanskrit. It seemed such a futile exercise way back then, but now I realise that he intended all of us to stay closer to our roots and take pride in our culture and language," said Anuritta about her fondest childhood memories.

She is currently reading Du Patra, her grand father's Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel in Maithili. Her favourite though is father's Economic Heritage of Mithila that stood her in good stead for her role of a girl from the Mithilanchal region in Mithila Makhaan. Coming from a close-knit family, she is extremely close to her father and elder brother Anshuman. "They are my best friends and will dole out a sincere and honest advice without being judgemental." She owes her success to her family for being so progressive and supportive. "I am who I am because of my family," she said with a lot of pride. Indeed, she ought to be proud; in small measures, she has contributed to Maithili films on its 50th anniversary, much like her famous family has done to the Maithili language.

"You cannot walk a straight line without a fixed point to follow," she said on foraying into films, adding, "I consistently love to challenge myself."

After winning the Get Gorgeous contest, she joined Atul Kasbekar's modelling agency, Matrix. Reminiscing those days, she said, "It was a stepping stone of sorts." As a model, she had been the face of umpteen products, but it was a television commercial for a face wash that made Anuritta give a second thought to acting as a career in 2010. She courted this passion by pursuing some acting courses and attending theatre workshops with Neeraj Kabi, her guru. It was a beautiful dalliance that reaped rich rewards when she made her dream debut with maverick filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2. Being from Bihar worked to her advantage. Though she had a measly role in the gang war drama, she managed to steal the show with her docile act as Shama Parveen, a character who adds to the rivalry between two families, and takes the plot forward. "I had auditioned for the role, and Anurag Kashyap liked my performance, and before I could realise, I was in the cult film as Shama Parveen. Initially, it seemed like a dream, and I had to pinch myself to make sure that it was indeed true."

Filmmaker, actor and writer Zeishan Quadri, who had penned the gangster saga of rage, rivalry, and retribution, said, "In Anuritta's case, beauty isn't only skin-deep. She's strong because she knows her weakness, she's beautiful because she's aware of her flaws and she is wise enough to learn from her mistakes. She's constantly evolving, and the best is yet to come." But a perfectionist to the core, this Virgo loves to give her best to the role that she essays on the screen. She doesn't shy away from calling herself a keen student, always eager and anxious to learn the nuances of acting. "I attend acting workshops now and then. I love to indulge myself by doing meaningful theatre. It helps me learn the art better. I find it educative, informative, and motivating."

Her next, Jugni, was written and directed by Shefali Bhushan, and released in January 2016. The movie was based in Punjab, and Anuritta essayed the role of Preeto, a Sikh girl who lives in a village and is madly in love with Mastana. It is an out and out musical film, and though Preeto has no sense of music, it becomes synonymous with Mastana and her unconditional love for him. The entry of another character leaves her shattered. "The film explored myriad emotions through music and connected it soulfully with beautiful songs. It is a story of how letting go of someone in love is more fulfilling than clinging on to it. My role as Preeto was quite taxing emotionally, and I had to learn Punjabi. It was a great learning experience, and I am happy to be part of it." The film is all set for an international premiere at the prestigious London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) to be held in July.

(In the next part of the series, we will introduce the film's music director. Stay tuned!)