In this era of social media, actor Anushka Shetty she has managed to guard her privacy and maintain an aura of mystery around her. The candid, witty, compassionate actress talks nineteen-to-the-dozen about her career choices, life in cinema, marriage plans and upcoming film Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty.
In your upcoming film you play a woman who wants to start a family without getting married! What hooked you to the part?
When director P. Mahesh casually bounced the idea off me a couple of years ago, I liked the novelty and also the character design. I asked him, ‘Who are you planning to cast? He replied, ‘No one yet.’ I expressed willingness to do the role. I like the director’s vision and the emotional journey of my character. The film is a light-hearted yet emotional ride. It’s a unique story of a progressive woman.
A progressive woman means making bold choices?
No! I intended to say that everyone has a perspective that makes them unique. That perspective is defined by their upbringing, and experiences. And in the process, we subconsciously tend to take from the world only what we understand. Everyone reaches a point where we are vulnerable and that’s when our grace comes out, and that’s how my character Anvitha is written. I play a Master Chef from London, and her idea of having a child has an emotional story — you will understand when you see the film. The black and white shades in each of us define our perspectives.
How different is Anushka from Anvitha?
Anushka is a woman who believes in constantly evolving. I want to become the best version of myself and make people around me happy. Anvitha too is empathetic but she has her own way of getting things done, and that’s what makes her unique.
How challenging has it been for you to get a role of your choice?
Getting a good script is the most challenging and difficult thing! I am blessed to have played several ionic roles like Rudhramadevi, Devasena (Baahubali), Jejemma (Arundhati), Bhaagamathie, etc. I keep listening to scripts and sometimes they are repetitive. But when I come across a script that’s out-of-box and resonates with me, I take my chance and give it my best shot. It is important to take chances in life.
‘Pan-India’ is the buzz word these days! All of a sudden, there’s a cross-pollination of actors from North to South and vice-versa.
This trend has been there for ages. The likes of Sridevi did the same several years ago. But what’s nice to see is the story having no geographical boundaries; that’s a blessing. With OTT, social media and technology, the world has become a small place. And as storytellers and actors we want our story to reach a wider audience. When I was shooting for Nishabdam in the US, I could see the diversity in the audience, but emotionally we are all the same
Having spent 18 years in the industry, what has been your learning curve?
When I came to the industry, I was clueless about acting. But slowly I met nice people who gave me a helping hand and made me feel comfortable. I started to focus on acting and my craft. But even now I am scared of stepping into a film set for the initial few days, wondering whether I will be able to pull off the character and do justice and whether I can shoulder the film and fit the director’s vision. I don’t know whether I can get over that feeling (smiles). So what I have learnt is that in your initial years of acting you try to understand the craft and with experience you come to enjoy it. Also, I have realised that as actors, we learn and unlearn but we need to constantly evolve.
What’s the secret to your success and longevity?
Having no plan and not being intelligent enough to plan has been my secret (laughs loudly). I never planned anything; whenever I walk into a film set, I am happy. My calculations are always on the kind of stories to do. I am always greedy to do impactful roles. The world has changed completely and you see characters and not actors presenting themselves. I think I have evolved because of the kind of people I worked with. I was honest and sincere in my pursuits. My journey has everything — highs and lows; it’s been beautiful and at times tough too; there’s so much emotion to my journey.
How did cinema change you?
It changed me a lot. It made me wiser and calmer. I am someone who likes to do things at my own pace. Sometimes playing challenging characters is physically and emotionally exhausting, so you have to get the balance right. In cinema itself you need to grow but at the same time you don’t have time to grow. So you need to always be on your toes to evolve. Constantly dealing with people and creative collaborations made me understand life better.
How did you deal with weight loss issues?
Nothing can motivate you better to come back into shape than a beautiful script. A great character in a story (like Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty) can be a huge source of inspiration. As actors we gain and shed weight for characters, and sometimes the transformation process can be very challenging
After spending several years, most actors get into production or direction. What about you?
Any choice made has to come from deep within and pursued with passion. I have not thought of any such thing (production or direction) so far; I am happy being an actor.
Any plans to settle down... marriage...?
I have nothing against marriage! I would love to have a partner and start a family. It’s something I believe in. But it has to happen organically, and not for the heck for it.
