Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 13, 2014)

Three hits in a row and Shraddha Kapoor’s uncannily played the same part: A determinedly happy girl confronted by a dysfunctional/psychologically traumatised man, grappling with his demons.
Aashiqui 2: She plays a singer in love with a self-destructive alcoholic singer who finally kills himself.
Ek Villain: The man she falls for is a sinister criminal with an extremely violent past.
Haider: In love with an inherently complex, rapidly self-disintegrating Shakespearean hero.
Her reaction: I am deeply aware that the heroes in all my three films are troubled self-destructive souls. It’s not as though I consciously choose films where I have to romance dark strangers — give or take the ‘tall’ and ‘handsome’. But I play positive characters in all three films.

THE LETTER ‘A’
One thing to bind the three roles: Her character’s names all start with the letter ‘A’
Aashiqui 2: As Aarohi, she’s a no-nonsense girl. Except when she falls in love.
Ek Villain: She plays the effervescent Aisha here.
Haider: In Haider, she’s the sentimental Arshiya.
Her reaction: It’s not just troubled men my characters are affiliated to!

MUSIC
All three roles have a musical connection.
Aashiqui 2: She plays a singer, but hasn’t sung any song in this film.
Ek Villain: She sings the unplugged version of Galliyan with Ankit Tiwari.
Haider: She sings Do Jahaan with Suresh Wadkar.
Her reaction: I am related to the Goddess of Melody Lata Mangeshkar. So music and singing are in my genes.