Gaurav Khanna says he 'won't call' Rupali Ganguly his friend, recalls having ‘altercations’ on Anupamaa set

Anupamaa remains a fan favourite on Indian television. Gaurav Khanna, known for playing Anuj Kapadia, won hearts with his on-screen chemistry with Rupali Ganguly.

After his exit from the show, speculations began about a possible rift between him and Rupali. Recently, in a chat with Siddharth Kannan, Gaurav broke his silence on their bond and acknowledged that there were some disagreements during the shoot.

He also praised Rupali, calling her an amazing co-star and one of his favourites, and shared that he learned a lot from her. While speaking about his relationship with Rupali Ganguly, "Main Rupali ko friend nahi bolunga (I won't call her a friend). Rupali is a wonderful human being from whom I've learnt a lot. Friend kya hota hai ki main kabhi bhi phone kardu ki ye hai, woh hai... (A friend is someone you can call anytime and share everything), I'm not on those terms with anyone, be it Rupali or even Sudhanshu. Even Sudhanshu Ji bolna chahiye (I should say Sudhanshu Ji). He's very spiritual, like me. He's a fantastic singer. I'm very happy he's coming out with new songs. I used to say, 'Don't quit singing, please'."

While talking about altercations on set, he said, "Altercations hote the scenes ko leke because everyone comes with their own idea, and I respect that — because she, being a senior actor, carries the show on her shoulders. She's the face on the poster; she is Anupamaa. So if I insist that scenes be done according to me, that would be wrong — and I’ve never done that. Altercations hote the ki like isko aise kar lete hai, woh bolenge aise kar lete hai (There used to be altercations over scenes because everyone has their own interpretation. She’s the lead, so if I push for my version, I’d be in the wrong)."

Backed by Rajan Shahi and Deepa Shahi under Director's Kut Productions, Anupamaa has earned a massive fan base over time. The show is headlined by Rupali Ganguly in the central role, with Adrija Roy (who stepped in for Alisha Parveen Khan) and Shivam Khajuria playing key roles in the next generation of characters.