I think I can win over people: Rasha Thadani on taking family’s legacy ahead with ‘Azaad’

New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Newcomer Rasha Thadani says acting has been a gradual love and she hopes to take the legacy of her mother Raveena Tandon and maternal grandfather Ravi Tandon forward through her debut in movies with “Azaad”.  

Thadani, daughter of Tandon and film distributor Anil Thadani, features alongside Aaman Devgan in the Abhishek Kapoor-directed movie which explores the unbreakable bond between a young stable boy and a horse. The movie, which also stars Aaman’s uncle, superstar Ajay Devgn, released in theatres on Friday.

The 19-year-old actor said she wants to try her best to excel in the field.

“I feel like the legacy comes from my maternal grandfather and even though he is not here at the moment, I wish I can take it forward to make him proud. It’s hard work that’s needed and I feel like I can win over people,” Thadani told PTI in an interview.

Asked whether she received any tips from her mother, who was a prominent star in the 90s and 2000s with films “Patthar Ke Phool”, “Dilwale”, “Mohra”, “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” and “Shool” and continues to be a successful actor, Thadani said she told her to trust the director.

“I would often ask her, ‘Mumma, how would you do it?’ or ‘What should your thoughts be’… She would just say, ‘Listen to the director. The vision he has, nobody has.”

As a child, Thadani said she would often look in the mirror and try out “expressions and movements”.

“Acting has been a gradual love of mine. My mom always knew that this is what I was going to do. She used to watch me at home do all these things. She took me to Kathak classes when I was about five and I remember that I used to cry because everyone was so much older… I used to feel so intimidated attending those classes. I also started attending Indian classical at about eight or nine.”

The actor now looks back at those moments with nothing but gratitude.

“I feel like ‘Thank god, thank you mumma for putting me in those classes’.”

It was a “leap of faith” that she took with the movie as the actor was in the middle of preparing for her board exams when the offer came her way.

“I was completely unprepared and clueless. I don’t think I could ever foresee that  I would start working on my debut film in 12th grade. I just remember I was preparing for my boards and suddenly talks about this film started. And I went to the audition and then there were meetings. It somehow just happened.”

Thadani said she and co-star Aaman didn’t get along initially but went on to develop a beautiful bond over time.

  “He really grew on me as a person. He is one of the sweetest people I know. Now, he is truly my best friend and someone I can truly depend on for anything because we have grown together. We have learnt everything together. So we have that bond,” she said.

Thadani said she recently watched Alia Bhatt’s “Jigra” and is a fan of the actor.

“I loved ‘Jigra’. I thought that was such an amazing film to be a part of,” she added.

“Azaad”, produced by RSVP Movies, also stars Diana Penty, Mohit Malik and Piyush Mishra.