After Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, Anshuman Jha hopes to direct a rom-com next

Actor Anshuman Jha is on cloud nine as his debut directorial project, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli is gathering applause and accolades at international films festivals. While the film is yet to release for the Indian audiences, Jha has already bagged the Best Director award at the UK-Asian Film Festival.
“I had a great time directing this black comedy thriller. And this award was very unexpected, honestly, so I am super happy with this recognition,” he says, adding that his next direction will only happen if the film’s story attracts him organically.
“I will only direct a film when it calls out to me the way Lord Curzon’s script did. It’s ‘cine-ma’ for me. The script is sacrosanct to me and once it’s fully ready and I’m convinced, I’ll take it up. There’s a rom-com in the pipeline, but at this moment, I can’t say when will I direct that,” says the actor-director, promising that his next directorial will not be a niche film and that he has “not stopped loving acting”.
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The 39-year-old, who made his big screen debut with Love Sex Aur Dhokha, has assisted several directors in the past, and therefore, helming a film came naturally to him. Taking the big leap with Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, which revolves around Indians in foreign land, it also helped Jha build a strong relationship with the lead actors Arjun Mathur and Rasika Dugal.
Talking his experience of going behind the camera and being on the other side, he shares, “I think actors are very emotional beings, we face more rejection than it is there in any other line of work. That is what makes it such an insecure profession, even mentally. So, the actor-director relationship has to be one of one of love. You need to be in love with your actors, and you need to respect them.”
He goes on to say that it takes two-to-tango to make a film shoot an enjoyable experience. “When I work with a director, I hand myself to them, totally trusting them. So for Arjun, Rasika and the remaining cast, to love me and make me feel secure, and of course to know their job, is very important as actors. For this film, we workshopped so much. So when Rasika says that is the workshop experience that has helped her, it is the biggest compliment for me as a director,” mentions Jha, who will next be seen in Hari Om and Lakadbaggha 2 for which he has undergone extensive training.