Sanjana Sanghi recently addressed a global youth audience, using her own journey to speak about resilience, discipline and embracing uncertainty. The actress, who has been part of Rockstar, Dil Bechara, Rashtra Kavach Om and Kadak Singh, reflected on the experiences that shaped her both personally and professionally. Looking back at how it all began, Sanjana recalled that acting entered her life unexpectedly. She said, “When I was learning formal dance in school, I danced simply because I loved it and performed at annual functions. I could never have imagined that one of Bollywood’s leading casting directors would visit my school and cast me in a film when I was just 13 years old.” Her supporting role in Rockstar came at an age when she had little acting experience, but she believes her years of dance training prepared her for the challenge. She said, “The reason a 13-year-old version of me could hold her own in front of one of India’s biggest male stars, despite never having acted before, was the rigour, discipline and humility that dance had instilled in me.”Sanjana also reflected on the expectations she grew up with. She shared, “Like many Indian parents, mine wanted me to excel at everything. When I was seven, my father wanted me to learn Kathak, while my mother wanted me to learn contemporary jazz. Unable to choose, I learnt both, alternating between them every day after school. At first, it felt like too much pressure, and I didn’t enjoy it. But over time, I fell in love with it and realised it was teaching me the discipline and rigour that would later help me navigate some of the most intimidating rooms of my life.”She also spoke about one of her biggest disappointments as a teenager. She said, “When I was 17, in Class 12, I landed my first lead role in a feature film. It was also my final year of school, and those grades could shape my future. I decided to do the film while working towards getting into my dream college. I got into the college I had always dreamed of, but that film remained unreleased for 11 years. Growing up, I would watch films and dream of one day being on that screen myself.”
