The positive reviews of Mary Kom have put you back in the top slot. Your thoughts?
I’m not interested in the number game. I’m a creative person. My focus has always been on challenging my own ability. I’d like to believe that I’ve succeeded in achieving the target. Honestly, I think the number game and the so-called slots are transitory. The audience won’t remember which position I occupied in what year. All they’ll remember is an actor’s performance in a film.
Looks like you’ve mastered the art of taking success and failure in your stride.
It took me a while to get pragmatic about my so-called box office status. I’m the only actor in the industry who has seen the best and the worst in my career. After Fashion, I was confident that I could pull off a film like Saat Khoon Maaf. But it didn’t do the expected business. Yes, I do feel bad when I read a bad review of my film but that never stops me from starting from scratch. I won’t succumb to mediocrity.
Besides author-backed roles, you have successfully pulled off shorter roles in commercial films. Is that your way of striking a balance?
Krishh 3, Don and Kaminey are a few films that can explain my security as an actor and as a person. They’re all super successful films. And I knew that I would only have a few songs and eight to 10 scenes, but I still went ahead and did those films with conviction. I have no qualms about adding the glam element to a film. But I expect the same from my male co-stars. I’d want them to play small roles in a ‘woman centric’ film. That’s a change I am expecting to see. Seriously, I have immense respect for Emraan Hashmi and John Abraham who played small roles in The Dirty Picture and Saat Khoon Maaf respectively. I’d like to believe that the industry is changing. It’s no more the male dominated industry it used to be. I think actresses like me, Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan and Alia Bhatt have been instrumental in changing the game.
Rani Mukerji had to seek Aamir Khan’s help to promote her film Mardaani. Would you want your co-stars Hrithik Roshan or Shah Rukh Khan to help you sell your film?
I don’t think word-of-mouth publicity from a co-actor can help boost the promotions of a film. As a friend, I’d want them to watch my films. I value their feedback but that’s not the support I’m looking for. The real support would be when they step out and play supporting actors to us (actresses) in a film like Mary Kom or Mardaani.
On the personal front, you’ve played the big sister with utmost responsibility. With a packed schedule like yours, juggling between family and work can be quite a task…
A lot of people feel that I go out of my way to be there for my family. It’s a fact that I want my brother Siddharth Chopra, my cousins Parineeti, Meera and Barbie Chopra to go out there and achieve their goals. I feel fortunate that I’ve paved a way for them. It makes me feel good to be there for them. When I started out, there was no one I could lean on. I’m happy that I can save my cousins the hassle of going through the grind.
There was buzz about your cold war with Anushka Sharma during the Barcelona schedule of Dil Dhadakne Do. Your comments?
Honestly, the so-called cold war with Anushka Sharma is the work of some super silly brains. Certainly, gossip like catfights does make juicy news, but I’m sure people can do better than that. Actresses don’t always lock horns. They can be cordial and even be good friends.
An hour ago, Anushka walked up to me and said that she had far bigger problems to deal with than worry about the impact of these baseless allegations. Anushka is one of the few powerful and confident girls I’ve come across. She is fun to be with and I wish to work with her in more films.
You appear to be someone with very strong likes and dislikes…
I don’t get along with people I don’t like. I make it very clear in my body language and my attitude towards them. I like my co-stars and that’s the reason we’re able to work together without any hassles. I’m a very confident girl. I don’t fear getting overshadowed by people. I live life queen size. I have big, massive dreams. I have set extremely high standards for myself. I believe that I have to have the best of the best. I don’t settle for anything but the best.
And does this successful, strong and glamorous girl feel the need to be in a relationship?
I’m extremely protective about my personal life. Unless I want people to know, no one will ever know my relationship status. Whether or not I feel the need to be in a relationship — keep guessing.
