‘There’s no loss in life’

 

She may look like a million dollars but Nargis doesn’t pay much attention to dolling up. “I couldn’t be bothered to build an image of a fahionista. I can’t talk about my contemporaries but I have don’t have the patience to put on eyelashes, heavy make-up, contact lenses and whatever else they put on which I wouldn’t want to talk about,” she says with a chuckle.

 

“Occasionally it’s nice to slip into a glamorous outfit but I don’t have the patience to do that all the time,” she adds. She admits to being temperamental. “Despite being in the glam world there are days when I feel down and out. I’m a happy girl but I do have major mood swings,” she says. 

 

The model-turned-actress moved to India to pursue her Bollywood dreams. Nargis admits that life hasn’t been easy. “Living in India hasn’t been easy. I’ve had my share of experiences, both good and bad. Over the years I’ve realised that the only way to keep yourself away from negativity and stress is by blocking yourself from negative energies,” she says. Nargis is not someone who has had a sheltered upbringing.

 

“I had to be an adult by the time I was 12. I had to grow up very fast. While others sympathised with me, I looked at the brighter side. I took charge of my life,” she says. Nargis continues, “All my life I have lived like a gypsy with 20 other people. So I never got a chance to decorate my home. Now I live in a rented apartment. It has been a year and it’s only now that I feel all responsible and grown up.” She is quite the homebody too.

 

“I painted the walls of my room. I put up some framed photos of happy memories. I placed my Buddha and Ganesha idols. It now feels like home.” She adds, “But I’m afraid to buy my own house. It’s the fear of putting roots and getting stuck that restrain me from investing in a house.” 

 

She likes to cook her food too. “Since I live alone and follow a certain diet, I cook my own food. And of late, I have been hooked to reading and watching documentaries.” Ask her what she likes to read and Nargis says, “I’m learning Vedic astrology. It’s a science, and with time and focus, one can achieve accuracy. I’ve done my own chart and it’s spooky how accurate it is.” Her ambitions don’t lie in the field of showbiz. “Eventually I want to be a tarot card reader. And I’m quite serious about it. There is no loss in life. I believe in destiny and follow the path that God has chosen for me,” she says.  

 

Living alone over the years has enriched her spiritual side. “I feel I have become very spiritual. I understand the difference between negative and positive energies. There is a reason why certain people come into your life and there is a reason why some make an exit. There are times when you walk into a room and feel terrible about yourself. It need not be you that’s bad. It could be other people’s energies that’s dampening your mood and energy. I am super sensitive,” she says. 

 

The actress doesn’t jump into friendships, especially within the industry. “I’m not sure if I can call Salman my friend. But it did touch my heart when he came out in my defence. It’s hard for me to develop friendships with my co-actors. I don’t think actors have the time to develop the foundation needed for friendship. I’ve worked with Ranbir Kapoor, but that didn’t build a foundation for friendship. Varun Dhawan, on the other hand, is a friend but we don’t get to see much of each other due to our hectic schedules. We are in touch and occasionally hang out,” Nargis says. 

 

The actress who lives away from her family uses Skype to keep in touch with them. “Last year I went home for a week. I haven’t had the chance to meet my family too often. I didn’t even realise when and how Mumbai became my home,” Nargis says.