Exclusive: Feminism is an abused term now, says Anushka Sharma

A decade ago, she was a petite teen walking the ramp at a plethora of shows. Fast-forward to 2017 and she’s one of India’s most successful actresses,who’s managed to pave her way into audience’s hearts with her spunky performances and outspoken attitude. We caught up with the Bengaluru-bred Anushka Sharma, who is gearing up for the release of her second production Phillauri, in which she plays a friendly ghost. Having boldly broken barriers by turning producer, Anushka says, “I want to make good films with new content and tell different stories. It could be in any genre.”

When she chose to take up production, many people around her advised her not to do so. “They said that it’s not something that actresses who are doing well do, and it’s only done by heroines in the tail-end of their careers.

I found that silly, because I thought ‘why not take advantage of my standing and bankability as an actor’,” says the fiery star, adding, “I didn’t do it to break barriers, but later, I realised that it was away from the conventional norm.”

The intriguing conversation veers towards the city she grew up in and Anushka can’t help but feel nostalgic about her Bengaluru days. “I spent all my growing up years there. I went to school and junior college there. It was a different city back then.Today, it’s very polluted, has so many flyovers and one ways. I’m sure I won’t find my way around the city now! But it still gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when I see the landmarks I frequented and streets that I walked on with my friends. It was nice to grow up in a wonderful place with open-minded people. It really does add so much to your personality and overall character development.”

As she reminisces her times as a student of Mount Carmel College, Anushka reveals that she’d relish the Mexican chaat near college and loved visiting Casa Picola. “I used to go to Airlines and eat dosas in the car. Whenever I come to Bengaluru now, I order food from Nagarjuna or Bhimas. Now that I’ve turned vegetarian, my options are lesser!”

In an industry that usually shies away from the word ‘feminism’, Anushka’s identification of herself as a feminist is undeniably a breath of fresh air. “Feminism is about equal rights for everybody and not about male-bashing.But it’s such an abused term now. Personally, I feel that I should do the right things in life and that’s what I’m doing,” she says.

Celebrities often face a bit of backlash when they’re frank, how does she deal with the negativity? “You realise that not everyone’s going to agree with everything you say and that’s fine.  You can have your own values and opinions and lead life that way, hoping that if someone is open to, it would help them change the way they think.” she reveals candidly.