After a famous actor's tragic accident, his son took a call centre job to support family. Daughter opens up about their financial struggles

Veteran actor Aanjjan Srivastav has spent more than four decades building a respected career across films, television and theatre. Best known for playing the lovable “common man” in Wagle Ki Duniya, the actor became a familiar face in Indian households through his simple yet memorable performances. However, behind the success and popularity, the Srivastav family also experienced a difficult phase that deeply affected them emotionally and financially.

Ranjana Srivastav on family struggles after actor's accident

Now, the actor’s daughter Ranjana Srivastav has spoken openly about the family’s struggles after Aanjjan Srivastav suffered a serious accident during a stage performance in 2002. Ranjana, who is preparing for her screen debut with Chand Tara, recently talked about on how the incident changed their lives and taught them important lessons about survival in the entertainment industry.




Speaking to ETimes, Ranjana recalled that her father continued performing on stage despite being in severe pain after the accident. According to her, he could barely move properly at the time, but still completed the performance. She said the period that followed was extremely challenging for the family because work opportunities became uncertain once his health was affected.

Ranjana explained that the entertainment industry can be unpredictable, especially for actors whose careers depend heavily on staying physically active. She shared that there were times when the family genuinely worried about managing finances and maintaining stability at home.

She said, "We've genuinely experienced days when we had to worry about how we would manage financially. That's why he always says you should never allow your bank balance to collapse and should always have another skill to rely on. I'm grateful for that advice because I've never been completely out of work. Whether through theatre, design or now acting, my creative energy has always remained active."

During this difficult period, the family had to make sacrifices to stay afloat. In the same interview, she revealed that, "We’ve seen days where my brother had to take up a call centre job just so we could make ends meet. We are not some flourishing star family. We are very middle class. These experiences taught me that good days and bad days are the most constant feature of this industry."

The experience left a lasting impact on Ranjana and shaped the advice her father later gave her about career choices and financial security. She revealed that veteran actor Aanjjan Srivastav always encouraged her to avoid depending entirely on acting for survival.

Ranjana shared that her father repeatedly advised her to divide her focus between acting and another practical skill. He believed that having a technical or professional backup was essential because careers in entertainment can change suddenly and unexpectedly.



Following that advice, Ranjana built a parallel career as a graphic designer while continuing her interest in theatre and acting.

"My father would often tell me not to put 100% of myself only into acting. He advised me to divide my focus - 50% into acting and 50% into a technical skill. I'm also a graphic designer professionally, so he always encouraged me to maintain that technical backing," she added.

Apart from being a veteran actor, Aanjjan Srivastav is also a respected theatre personality. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) in Mumbai and remains closely associated with the Indian theatre community.

On Ranjana's work front

Meanwhile, Ranjana is now preparing for a new chapter in her own career with Chand Tara. The trailer of the film was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival, bringing attention to her upcoming debut.

Speaking about landing the role, Ranjana admitted that the journey was not easy. She revealed that she went through multiple audition rounds before finally getting selected for the project. Stay tuned!