'I ran after Bollywood with open arms'
Rima J Pundir
The first impression you get when you see Anushka Sharma is endless legs. The leggy babe charmed the nation as the dance-crazy Tanni in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and now, she's gearing up to show her naughty side in Badmaash Company, where she plays a simple-girl-turned-con-artist opposite hottie Shahid Kapoor. Then there's Patiala House with the hunky Akshay Kumar. Cosmo caught up with this phenomenal mix of sexiness and talent to see what makes her tick.
Cosmo: From modelling to movies…were you nervous about the transition?
Anushka Sharma: Actually, no. It's not that I'm super-confident but when I go for a shoot, I treat it like a job. I've grown up watching Shah Rukh's movies, so it would've been very easy for me to go gaga over him and forget what I was there for. So I decided to focus on it professionally. Plus, Shah Rukh was immensely supportive. He gave me a lot of space to explore and do my own thing, even though I was completely raw.
C: You're lean, leggy, and gorgeous…Did directors run after you?
AS: Oh no, (giggles)! I ran after Bollywood with hands outstretched! I started modelling pretty early, around 15. Prasad Bidapa groomed me. Once I had few assignments in my kitty, moving to Mumbai seemed a natural progression. I signed up with Elite Model Management and, funnily enough, told my manager categorically to refuse film auditions (chuckles)! I still laugh about it.
C: So how did you change your mind?
AS: My manager from Elite convinced me to show my face at Yash Raj Films. She gave me the usual reasons—that I shouldn't knock something I hadn't experienced yet, etc, etc—and I must've been in a more receptive mood that day. But the minute I showed up for the audition, I was amazed by how professional it was. I did my bit, they liked me, and here I am!
C: How was shooting with Shahid and gang for Badmaash Company?
AS: Awesome! We travelled a lot for this film and, since all of us—Shahid, Chang, Vir, and I—were of similar ages, it was easy to hang out and do fun stuff, go shopping, et al.
C: What are the best and worst bits of being an actor?
AS: I love the fact that I'm able to live through so many characters in one lifetime—I play a normal girl in RNBDJ, while I'm enacting a streetsmart con in Badmaash Company, something I could never be in reality, no matter how adventurous I get (laughs). In terms of the worst, I'm still a newbie in the industry. Ask me in a few years and I'm sure I'll have a long list of pet peeves ready.
C:What's your fitness mantra?
AS: Great genes (guffaws)! I'm just kidding; I actually take a lot of care because I'm sure I'll balloon if I just let myself go! I work out about four times a week—so far I'm only doing cardio and weight training, but yoga's on my agenda. It's a surefire way to ensure physical and mental wellbeing! I eat well, but I eat right.
C: Any skin, beauty, and hair secrets you'd like to share?
AS: I endorse Vaseline—it's no secret that I dig their Vaseline Healthy White Body Milk. It keeps skin moisturised and also offers sun protection—an essential for girls like me who spend a lot of time outdoors. I use Parachute oil for my weekly head massage. Too many brands aren't really my thing; I prefer to keep it simple. Drinking lots of fluids and sluicing my face with water all day long works best for my skin.
C: Are you a party girl or a homebody?
AS: I'm a give-me-a-book-and leave-me-alone kind of girl! I spend hours at bookshops, scouting for new authors, when I go abroad! I regularly Google the ten best books of the month/year and make it a point to read them. Some I love, some I can't digest, but it's a fun process sifting through titles. I also love travelling; thankfully I'm in a profession that takes me globetrotting frequently. But what I'd really like to do is head out without anything planned, carrying a backpack. I really believe all of us should explore our country before hitting foreign shores—we've got so much diversity and areas like the North-east are still relatively pristine, just waiting to be explored.
C: Do you like to bask in your fan following or would you rather be left alone?
AS: I'd be lying if I said I didn't like having fans—everyone loves to be the centre of attention. But it does get to me as well. I'm not used to people being intrusive all the time. One thing I'd never do, though, is take my fans for granted.
C: Tell Cosmo readers something about you that they don't know.
AS: (Thinks hard) Ummm I'm not Punjabi as is popularly believed—I was born and bred in Bangalore. I'm an Army brat and was very good academically. I don't follow fashion at all; I just wear what I like. And finally, I'm a tad scatterbrained!
C: Are you romantically involved with someone?
AS: Right now, no. The person I'd like to be with is someone who understands me thoroughly and accepts me unconditionally. Though I'd like to think of myself as an uncomplicated person, everyone's got quirks that make them tough to be/deal/live with. It would be fantastic to find a guy who understands and accepts my flaws. A sense of humour and the ability to make interesting conversation also are high on my list! I'm slightly old-fashioned; I believe real love doesn't requi re words or explanations. I know it sounds a trifle dated, but that's the way I am.
http://cosmo.intoday.in/cosmopolitan/story.jsp?sid=7785&page=0
comment:
p_commentcount