In an era where larger-than-life stardom was barely a thing for celebrities, and privacy was not so much a concern, Anu Aggarwal was one of the select few who had become a national heartthrob. The former actress, who became an overnight sensation and shot to superstar-level fame after starring alongside Rahul Roy in the 1990 film, Aashiqui, has had an experience of what it feels like to have a massive fanbase.
Anu Aggarwal recalls fans standing under her building
Anu Aggarwal was the ‘It Girl’ from the 1990s, who was catapulted into this unimaginable stardom after the release of the iconic musical drama, Aashiqui, opposite Rahul Roy. Co-produced by the late Gulshan Kumar’s T-Series and the Vishesh Films banner owned by Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, the film was a massive musical hit, which came as a surprise to the makers as well, as neither they nor the actors had ever imagined it to be such a blockbuster.
When Aashiqui hit the theatres, Anu earned a fandom so massive that fans from beyond India would fly down from different countries just to stand outside her building, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Comparing her fandom with Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, the former actress recalled how, living alone, she feared for her safety, but fortunately, she lived in an MLA-MP building with armed security guards. Talking about the ‘unreal’ craze and how she ran away from it, Anu said:
“I had fans, like, you know, standing under my building. Luckily, the building I was in was an MLA/MP building, so we had police protection. We had like guards coming with guns, standing with guns, eight to ten of them. They would not let people enter the gate. But it was madness. People were flying from different countries to come and just see my building; you know how it is with Shah Rukh Khan today. I see that this is how it used to happen, and I ran away from it.”
Anu Aggarwal reveals not receiving her dues for Aashiqui till date
In the same interview, Anu Aggarwal shared that even after 30 years, she still hasn’t received 40% of her dues from Aashiqui’s makers. However, she believes the film gave her much more in return. The blockbuster success brought her a flood of modelling offers and made her one of India’s first actresses to become a brand ambassador, at a time when such deals were typically reserved for cricketers. She now considers the unpaid dues a ‘gift’ to the makers. She was quoted as saying:
“Mujhe aaj tak Aashiqui ke poore paise nahi miley. I have only been paid 60% of the full money. They still owe me the 40%. But it’s okay. Theek hain yaar… I earned a lot in so many… I earned much more in modelling. I became a brand ambassador. I am one of India’s first actress brand ambassadors. Uss time actor nahi hote the, sirf cricket ke hi hote the. So theek hai yaar! Ye meri gift hain unko.”
Anu Aggarwal starred in films like Ghazab Tamasha, King Uncle, and Ram Shastra before stepping away from films in 1996. A near-fatal accident in 1999 left her in a coma for nearly a month. Though she recovered, she chose a spiritual path over returning to the silver screen.
What are your views on Anu Aggarwal’s massive stardom after the success of Aashiqui?
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