Interview: Anushka Sharma
Where did you spring from?
You were the surprise packet of the film. When you signed the film, the
buzz was that you were a Delhi girl.
I am a Punjabi,
but from the time I was a very young girl, I have lived in Bangalore. I
shifted to Mumbai a little over a year back as I was into modelling. Adi
(director-writer and co-producer Aditya Chopra) saw my pictures and liked
me.
But was acting on your
agenda, and even if it was, did you ever imagine such a dream break?
Though acting was not
on my agenda as I come from a non-film family and my dad Colonel
A K Sharma is in the armed forces, I had my options open. I had a few fixed
principles, but I saw no reason why I should not take up the offer because
it was a dream beginning for an actress. My parents supported me because
the banner and the people behind it were reputed and my co-star was Shah
Rukh Khan, though they naturally may have had apprehensions about a film
career earlier.
But modelling can be done
only up to a point. Had you not thought of that?
Honestly, that thought
or any thought about stagnating had never crossed my mind. But I needed
also to get the hang of making decisions about accepting or refusing something.
Were you selected just
for your looks or was an audition done?
Of course I auditioned.
That was the sequence where Shah Rukh Khan’s character meets me for the
first time at my wedding and my screen father introduces us. But what Adi
did not reveal was that it was a sequence that was to actually be a part
of the film. Even my pictures went as per protocol — after the agency they
went to the assistant director whom I met before Adi saw my photographs
and met me.
Though a Punjabi, you
have virtually lived all your life in Bangalore. How did you manage the
authentic Punjabi characterisation?
Shah Rukh Khan says that
in most cases, a new face is signed because he or she is closest to the
character as envisioned by the director, and that’s how things fall into
place. I think I agree with his view. Though I have never even been to
interior Punjab or Amritsar and have not interacted much with people who
live there, I am definitely a lot like Taani — I am very talkative, upfront
about saying what is in my mind and have similar values. So I enjoyed performing
Taani’s role.
You said in print that
Adi is like a teacher to you. Sorry for a cliché that you will answer
a million times now, but how was it working with SRK and what did he contribute
to Anushka’s essay of Taani?
Oh, he helped me so much!
So-o much! People have been saying that I came across as very confident
in my debut, but a large chunk of that was because Shah Rukh accommodated
me so much. He was so selfless that he never ever thought of taking away
any scene, camera angle or importance away from me! I ended up really enjoying
myself. He would also help in technical angles like giving the cues about
where I should finally come and stand even while I was delivering lines
that needed the right vocal and facial expressions, which is technically
called giving focus marks.
Unlike the hype that surrounds
most newcomers, you were the ‘band mutthi’ — the highly-guarded secret.
And now you are suddenly into the media glare and a full-on promotional
blitz.
I am happy that it happened
that way. I am very convinced that this was the right method. Since I am
an actor, the most important part is about how good or bad I am in my work,
which you know only after the film releases.
Post “Rab Ne...”’s release,
what is the scenario about offers?
There have been offers
coming in, and though I have a three-film contract with Yash Raj Films,
it is not exclusive. Adi will let me do any outside film that will further
my career prospects but I will consult him on the outside offers and then
I will make the best decision. Meanwhile I have to try and better my acting,
my dancing and my diction.
So you are ambitious now?
Oh, I have always been
ambitious!
And do you wish that you
had known that acting skills lay hidden within you?
(With a wide-eyed laugh)
Yeah, I do! I would have probably begun two years earlier. But then, this
was a dream break, so there are no complaints! Do you know that I actually
had done an acting workshop during a lull in my modelling phase but I am
a person who can’t sit idle and do nothing. But what you learn on the sets
with a real camera and deliver lines that you haven’t learnt by heart before
is something else altogether. For me, Rab Ne... was like going into the
standard one of acting.
Finally what has your
family to say about your work?
They are very happy. My
brother, who is in the Merchant Navy said with amusement, “Not bad, yaar!
You can act!”
And what was the best
compliment you got from anyone?
Well, that was the unsaid
part of the compliment my father gave me — while watching me in the film
he had tears in his eyes and that made me feel really happy that I could
give this moment of pride to him! |