True love knows no bounds, be it caste, creed, and sometimes even species. Anuj Sachdeva couldn’t agree more! The actor turned down a plum offer from the makers of Jai Hanuman Sankatmochan Naam Tiharo because he couldn’t bring himself to stay away from his furry friend for long hours. He was finalised to essay the character of Lord Ram in the mythological show and the shoot was scheduled to commence on Diwali.
Anuj tells us, “Yes, it is true that I let go of the offer. The makers wanted me to commence the shoot on Diwali, which was an auspicious day to begin the new work. I was very excited but for me, my pet Simba, a rescue dog, was of paramount importance. I realised that travelling to Naigaon and back for the shoot would have taken around 16 hours. I would have been away from Simba for a good part of the day. My house help, who takes care of him when I am shooting, has gone back to his hometown. So, Simba would have been all alone and I couldn’t muster the courage to leave him on his own. That’s the only reason I declined the offer. Only dog lovers would understand my predicament.”
The actor ensured that his pet wasn’t away from his sight during the festivities, as the noise pollution caused by bursting firecrackers frightens them. He shares, “It’s a huge responsibility to keep a pet and when you take it on, you should fulfill it wholeheartedly. On the night of Diwali, I was invited by my friends. However, I stayed home to be around Simba, as the noise from the crackers scared him. I called a few of my friends over instead. You have to choose wisely when it is about your companion (smiles).”
