“I can be casual with Shahid” – Anushka Sharma

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

May 7, 2010 - 11:17 AM IST

Anushka Sharma hasn't changed a bit during last one and a half years. I remember having my first conversation with her a weekend after the release of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. She was unpretentious, sounded like a confident young beautiful girl next door, had a casual tone to her voice and despite having worked with Shah Rukh Khan and delivered a blockbuster-in-the-making, Anushka appeared totally approachable and rather cool about all the attention she was garnering. Few months down the line, she is all set with Badmaash Company. The adjectives surrounding her haven't changed at all till date and what one gets to see is what Anushka truly is. In a really 'speedy conversation' with Joginder Tuteja (yes, Anushka admits that she speaks fasts and assures that the interview will be completed on time despite her choc-b-bloc schedule), the 'badmaash girl' talks about her latest outing.

“I can be casual with Shahid” – Anushka Sharma

The way I dressed up in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is hardly the way I dress in real life

From playing a core 'bhartiya naari' in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi to someone who is cool-n-chic in Badmaash Company- now that's quite some transformation Anushka.
On the contrary I would say that if at all there was some transformation, it was in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and not Badmaash Company. I was a model before I started acting and hence I am far more comfortable in the entire attire and styling in case of Badmaash Company. On the other hand the way I dressed up in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is hardly the way I dress in real life. I am much more comfortable in wearing jeans with a top rather than putting on a salwar kameez. I still remember that it was so difficult for me to carrying a dupatta since I wasn't used to it. There had to be 15 pins put together to keep my 'dupatta' in place then (laughs).

But as an actor, you have gone through some character transformation at least in Badmaash Company.

Well, it's because of the nature of the character and the script which has been written by Parmeet (Sethi) due to which the entire transformation aspect is far more visible. Bulbul is extremely different from Taani. I really like Bulbul because she is very straight forward and is totally non pretentious. She is unapologetic and quite sorted out in head at such a young age. She is an independent girl and knows what she wants in life.

And also someone who is closer to real life, like?

Exactly. People would be able to relate to Bulbul because she is one of them. In fact why just me; every other character would come across quite naturally on screen, more so because all four of us have been inspired from real life. Parmeet has developed his characters by observing a few people whom he has known for years. Naturally, such connections become easy for a character portrayal because there are reference points that audience can draw as well.

It falls in the same bracket as Oceans series of Catch Me If You Can

But I am sure you would know that you won't be as lucky in each film Anushka. There may be situations when the character offered to you may not be as attached to reality.

I won't have any issues playing such character as well as long as the character has some depth at least. Of course I am glad that so far I have got an opportunity to play Taani and Bulbul that are close to real life. But then tomorrow if something really far fetched comes my way which is far more fantastical in nature, I would be happy to play that as well.

Talking about Badmaash Company, it appears to be one cool caper film with quite some references to a few Hollywood counterparts that belong to similar genre.

Well, if you talk about the genre then yes, it falls in the same bracket as Oceans series of Catch Me If You Can. But then just as the scripts of these two films were totally different, Badmaash Company too is entirely different from these Hollywood flicks. Having said that, though Badmaash Company is a caper, it is not just a thriller or only a crime film. The film is fun, funky, highly energetic and as I have said earlier as well, something that one can very easily relate to. Moreover, I think the USP of the film is its freshness.

Well, another thing which is quite fresh about the film is your pairing with Shahid. I am sure it would have been fun to be working with someone from your age group in your second film, right?

Yes, the fact is that I can afford to be casual when it comes to Shahid as a co-star. He is closer to my age and I can talk about certain things with him which I may not have been comfortable with say Shah Rukh Khan (Rab Ne....) or Akshay Kumar (Patiala House). While with Shahid, I can be on a back slapping relationship, with others there is bound to be some distance due to the respect factor coming in.

I can afford to be casual when it comes to Shahid

That's true. Having said that, you seem to be doing quite good for yourself within two years of your arrival in Bollywood. Shah Rukh, Akshay and Shahid for your first three films are not a bad deal after all.

Yeah, I am lucky that I started off with a big film like Rab Ne.... That indeed helped in a huge reach to begin with itself and more people know me today because of the film's magnitude. If I would have started with a smaller film then may be I would have had to work extra hard to reach where I have today. These two years have indeed been quite eventful.