Sudhanshu Pandey recently left fans of the popular show Anupamaa stunned when he announced his sudden departure. As the beloved character Vanraj Shah, Sudhanshu brought a unique flair to the series, making his exit particularly surprising and disheartening for many. Following this unexpected news, Pinkvilla reached out to Chandni Bhagwanani, who portrays Vanraj’s daughter Pakhi on the show, to hear her thoughts on Sudhanshu’s departure. Here’s what she had to say.
Reflecting on Sudhanshu Pandey’s departure, Chandni Bhagwanani expressed her sadness, stating, “It was really sad. We are giving him space. I am sure he must be getting a lot of calls, we are getting so many calls, imagine the amount of calls he might be getting. So, we’re just giving him the space. Nobody is talking about it on the sets because everybody is being very sensitive about it. It’s really sad that we don’t get to see him on the sets.”
Chandni shared the deep connection she developed with Sudhanshu, describing him as a father figure on set. “He was so welcoming to me on the sets of Anupamaa. As you know, I replaced Muskan Bamne in the show. She had been playing Vanraj’s daughter for more than three years, and all of a sudden, somebody else came in, and I was very nervous about the same, but Sudhanshu Sir was so warm and welcoming, which also helped me a lot on the sets,” she revealed.
Chandni went on to express how much she enjoyed working with Sudhanshu, adding, “He was one of the reasons why I was so happy to be on the sets. I more than love him. I’ve learned so much from him; he is so professional. It was a great experience working with him. But as they say, every great thing comes to an end, and thus, I feel, he had to leave, and we don’t even know why and what happened.”
Discussing the overwhelming fan response to Sudhanshu’s exit, Chandni shared, “Everybody is extremely sad. It’s very shocking also because Vanraj is a villain, and a villain getting so much love is brilliant. The audiences are also disappointed; I am getting so many comments and DMs regarding the same. They’re like, why did sir leave? Oh my god, sir is leaving, and everything about Vanraj’s exit. It’s crazy! I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever received so many messages for any reason before, as I have now. It’s really crazy.”
Reflecting on her time with Sudhanshu on set, Chandni shared, “We are missing him a lot. We were like a gang. All of us were a gang. We used to hang out together, chill, and have meals together on the sets, and if we had breaks in between shoots, Sir used to sing, and we would have wonderful conversations. It’s really sad that he is not a part of the show anymore. We’ve had some great memories on the sets.”
The departure of Sudhanshu Pandey from Anupamaa has undoubtedly left a void in the show, both for the cast and the viewers. Alongside Chandni Bhagwanani, the show also stars talented actors like Rupali Ganguly, Gaurav Khanna, Alpana Buch, Arvind Vaidya, Kunwar Amar Singh, Nishi Saxena, Nidhi Shah, and Sonal Khilwani, among others.