Worked with Salman Khan, played Karisma Kapoor's sister, got typecast, then quietly left showbiz: where is Kanchan now?
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
There are actors who make it big in Bollywood but don’t want to stay in the limelight forever. Some actors spend years and years trying to make it, others go on to live their lives with little fuss behind the camera. One such case is of star Kanchan. She has acted with some of the biggest names in Hindi films and has been appreciated in South films, but chose to take a different route altogether. She was best known for her work with Salman Khan , Karisma Kapoor, Govinda , Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar in movies and finally quit showbiz after being typecast. Then the real question remains, where is star Kanchan these days?
Adding to this, Kanchan entered Bollywood with the movie Sanam Bewafa in 1991. She played the close friend of Ruksar Khan, who was the lead character, along with Salman Khan. The romantic story was a ticket-window hit, and Kanchan was introduced to the Indian audience.
Meanwhile, Even though Kanchan became a known face after her debut, she struggled to move beyond supporting roles. Her sharp yet innocent, girl-next-door appearance led filmmakers to view her primarily as a friend, sister, or the villain's daughter.
Notably, During that decade, she appeared in several successful Hindi films. In Amaanat (1994), she played Radha, acting alongside Akshay Kumar. Her role as Shalini, the sister of Karisma Kapoor, instantly made her a star when the comedy Coolie No. 1 (1995) was rolled out, with Govinda in the lead. She was also the girl in the song ‘Husn Hai Suhana’ along with Karisma. Additionally, she was in Army (1996) with Shah Rukh Khan and Sridevi. Her performances in Ram Aur Shyam (1996) and Jurmana (1996) were with other big names like Mithun Chakraborty and Sanjay Dutt.
As per the latest buzz, Interestingly, this was also a time when competition in the industry was tough. Actors like Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor, and Raveena Tandon dominated the scene and became well-known as leading ladies.
In further updates, On the lookout for better roles, Kanchan entered the South Indian movie industry, where she got the opportunity to star as the lead. She made her debut in the Malayalam movie industry in 1993 with Gandharvam, in which she worked alongside Mohanlal. The movie was a ticket-window success and helped her achieve greater success in her career.
On top of that, Around the same time, Kanchan acted in the Telugu movie Prema Pusthakam as Charitra, a movie known for introducing Ajith Kumar. Her performance was well-received, and she collected the Nandi Special Jury Award for Best Performance.
By the late 1990s, acting opportunities for Kanchan had begun to dwindle. The arrival of a new generation of actresses in South Indian cinema intensified the competition, while Bollywood was also undergoing rapid changes. As per the latest buzz, the star was unhappy with the growing emphasis on bolder roles and "item songs." Rather than take on films that did not appeal to her, she chose to step away from acting.
Source: Hindustan Times