Anu Aggarwal recalls being 'all by myself' despite success
Anu Aggarwal had skyrocketed to stardom when her Bollywood debut Aashiqui became a huge hit in 1990. However, massive popularity and high demand didn't fulfill the emotional void of the actress. In a recent interview, the 52-year-old revealed that she "was all by myself in the city," and that the sudden success was "overwhelming." Having taken sanyas in 2001, she now is a yogini.
The attention I got from the people was overwhelming: Aggarwal
Speaking to TOI, Aggarwal revealed that she had never dreamt of becoming an actor but wanted to do social work and "my dream was to work with the UN." So when Aashiqui brought her sudden fame, she wasn't "prepared." "The kind of attention and love I got was overwhelming...people used to stand outside my house to get a glimpse of me," she narrated.
'I didn't have sugar daddies. I had a boyfriend'
She recalled getting offers from Hollywood, but materialistic success hardly guaranteed mental peace. "I was all by myself in the city as my parents used to stay in Delhi," said Aggarwal, adding that she had to manage a house alone. "I didn't have sugar daddies. I had a boyfriend, but he was out of the city. And with long-distance, our relationship was getting destroyed."
Life had come to a standstill due to an accident
After a few years in showbiz, Aggarwal became inclined toward learning yoga and meditation. She even got herself enrolled at a university and later started living in an ashram. But life came to a standstill when she met with a life-threatening accident in 1999 and slipped into a coma. "After the accident, I knew nothing, but I knew my spiritual name," she recalled.
She blasted the media for scrutinizing her post 'sanyas' look
Aggarwal recalled how the media sharing her no-makeup and head-shaved pictures didn't really help her heal. "I had forgotten how to apply lipstick too. Soon people started to post my 'before' and 'after' pictures," she narrated. After this ordeal, she spent years practicing sanyas before returning in 2006. Last seen in Return of Jewel Thief, Aggarwal said she is living the yogi lifestyle now.
