Sandeep Anand, familiar to television audiences from May I Come In Madam?, made his film debut last month in Udta Teer, the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer from Dharma Productions. In a conversation with The Times of India, he described the part — a Pakistani spy — as a milestone that justified an unusual professional decision: stepping back from regular television.
“Yeh kisi bhi kalakaar ke liye sapne ke sach hone jaisi baat hai,” Anand said, describing the chance to work with Dharma Productions as a dream come true for any artist. He credited director Akash Kaushik with considering him for the role after watching his earlier work, and said he was given the freedom to do his job, an experience for which he remains grateful.
Why he stepped away from television
Anand explained that a lead television contract can demand an actor’s presence for around 25–30 days a month because the telecast schedule is extremely tight. Once he was committed to Udta Teer, he did not want to breach any producer’s expectations, so he avoided taking on such projects.
The decision is a useful case study in how film and television schedules collide. Daily soap commitments are built for ongoing output; a film shoot requires blocks of availability and creative attention. For an actor known to television audiences, staying off the medium is not absence — it is a deliberate choice to make room for a larger window.
Keeping craft alive off-camera
Anand rejected the suggestion that he had been away from work. After the first season of May I Come In Madam?, he said, he worked steadily outside the platforms most viewers track:
- Pilot episodes for several shows
- Short films that travelled to international festivals and won awards
- Writing, learning the craft behind the camera, and training to become a complete filmmaker
Anand’s arc also speaks to a broader pattern in Hindi entertainment: television actors often weigh the security of a long-running show against the uncertainty of film. His answer — protect the commitment, use the waiting period for craft — is one route that keeps doors open on both sides.
Source: The Times of India
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