New Delhi:
Heir to the erstwhile princely state of Bhareh in Uttar Pradesh, Anant Narayan is all set to make his Bollywood debut and says his royal background "never stopped" him from living his dreams, be it as a journalist or as an actor.
"My royal background never stopped me from doing anything. It gave me the boost to step out of my cocoon. I wanted to prove myself and earn the position of a prince that I have been honoured with since birth," Anant, 23, told IANS. Bhareh is in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh.
Anant will debut alongside actress Ayesha Takia in "Hamesha I Will Love You" .
"I agree I live a luxurious life and have people working for me, but that never fascinated me. I have worked as a freelance journalist, I have done my schooling from Modern School and my graduation in history from Delhi University's Venkateswara College."
"It would be wrong to say that by choosing this profession I would be working under someone because I am a free entity," he said.
Anant claims Bollywood has accepted him with open arms and he is tied up with a year-long commitment.
"I have my hands full with a lot of projects lined up for the whole year, though I am in the initial stages of my film career. I am bombarded with scripts and endorsement offers," he said.
"I have a total of nine scripts with me, of which I'm currently negotiating on four. And for these four, it's a thumbs up from my end. The acceptance that I have received from the industry makes me feel overwhelmed.
"I have faith in destiny. A newcomer like me, who has no support from the industry, could have found it difficult to make a mark. But fortunately I didn't have to go knocking the doors of filmmakers."
"I also have two Hollywood projects but unfortunately I am not allowed to talk about them or reveal the details."
Anant's film, "Hamesha I Will Love You", is slated to go on the floors this year. It is being produced by Film Feast Creators and will be directed by Revathy S. Varmha.
Did the prince always want to be an actor?
"Without a doubt I wanted to become an actor. While I was quitting my job as a journalist, there came a point when I said to myself, 'I have interviewed enough people but now it's time for me to get interviewed by others'."
Born in Kanpur and brought up in Delhi, he says he is a hardcore fan of romantic comedies and wants to establish himself in this genre.
"Such movies fascinate me. An actor always knows where he stands - if not, then he is foolish. I have been told by my directors that I have chocolate-boy looks as I have soft features. So it would be stupid on my part to opt for edgy roles that won't suit my face," he added.