Anushka Sharma on bonding with co-actors and belonging to nobody but herself
DNA (January 1, 2015)


As a public figure, doesn’t part of you feel that you belong to the people?
I belong to myself. I belong to nobody. Each one of us belongs to us. My duty to you is for as long as you buy your ticket. Then it’s over. They’ll want to know about your weight, your face, your clothes, your relationships, and think that it’s okay. But this is what creates pressure in the life of an actor.

Do you feel you have to live up to a pre-conceived image, or can you just be yourself?
I go to the sets, I do my work and I come back home. Ranbir (Kapoor) is my friend. Arjun (Kapoor) is my friend. I can be friends with the boys I work with and not sleep with them. But not everyone will believe me. One is always breaking notions of how an actress should be. I have very few friends. My brother is possibly my best friend.

Who’s the last famous person you texted?
Rajkumar Hirani.

The last famous person who texted you?
Strangely, Ranveer Singh just texted me as we speak. (Reads his SMS out aloud)

An actor you find attractive?
Actors are too obsessed with their looks. A director, maybe.

Name a director good-looking enough to be a movie star.
So many, so many. Just one? Hmmm... Imtiaz Ali. He could do the Ranbir Kapoor kind of movies.

An actress prettier than you...
Katrina Kaif.

More talented?
I’d like to think I am the most talented. People are going to put you down in any case, so you might as well think you are the most talented. (Laughs)

What’s your take on the backlash you received for your plumped-up lips?
It’s very hurtful to comment on someone’s looks, especially for an actress; it shakes you. Even though you think you can develop a thick skin, you can’t. I did it for a film, not because I wasn’t happy with my looks. And it was just a filler, not a surgery.

Breakfast in bed with someone you love? Or dinner at a good restaurant with a great filmmaker?
Breakfast in bed with someone I love.

Privacy or crazy-ass fame?
Crazy-ass fame.

Men or chocolate?
Men. I don’t like chocolate.

Virat Kohli is…
Virat Kohli is a cricketer.

What’s the most fun part about being a movie star?
That you get to travel First Class.

Whose life would you love to peek into if you were invisible?
Rihanna’s.

One food can you eat forever?
Cheese toast.

Things no-one knows about you?
I get my best thoughts in the bathroom. I can trash-talk. I can’t make polite conversation. I can be very honest to people to their face. Sometimes that makes them uncomfortable. I don’t understand art. My house has fake flowers. That’s the only thing I don’t like about my house. I love talking to strangers. I think that chairs look boring from behind. I love beer. And ya, as soon as I wake up, I have to eat something. Get up. Walk. Eat.

If you can have any five people over to dinner, who would they be?
I’d call Anthony Bourdain. I’d call Adi (Chopra), just to see if he’ll come. Karan (Johar) because he will be very entertaining, and he will take the pressure off me. Narendra Modi, because I really want to see how he will be in a casual space. And Marilyn Monroe. That will be one kick-ass party!

What’s the secret to your legs?
Exercise. I really worked on my legs like crazy. Adi told me to, for a film. When I was young I had such skinny legs, a boy in my class called me Chicken Legs. B*****d. I’m famous now. Screw you. (Laughs)

SRK or Aamir? Who’s more fun?
Everyone knows it’s Shah Rukh. SRK will ask you questions, he makes everyone happy, he has this great energy. Aamir is completely focused— he works like a horse with blinkers on. He’s normally quiet. I’m more like Aamir.

Shopping or sleeping?
Sleeping.

Kisses or diamonds?
Kisses.

Have you ever seen Ranveer Singh calm and collected?
Never. Oh no, hold on. He’s like that when he’s with people. But alone he’s not that hyper.

Who are your heroes in real life?
No one. You know what they say— you should never meet your heroes in real life. It’s very true, man. I used to read interviews about famous people, you can learn so much. But I was very disappointed when I met my hero in real life.

Rate in order of preference: love, fame, cricket, sleep, films.
Films, love, fame, sleep, cricket.

Ranbir Kapoor or Ranveer Singh?
Ranbir Kapoor.

Puppies or cricketers?
Puppies! My dog is the love of my life. I love him more than my parents or brother. So you can imagine how much!

Your favourite junk food?
Banana chips.

If Bollywood were a person who would it be?
Ayan Mukerji! Because, mmm, he’s brilliant! He can really like, look in and get into your head, into your mind. He’s a smooth talker. And he’s detached.

What’s your definition of success?
If I’m happy.

Would you strip “if the role demanded it”?
Yes, if I felt the film was worth it. But I don’t think we are making those kind of films. I don’t have these kind of inhibitions. It’s silly when actresses say they will stop kissing on screen just because they are married. It’s a job, for God’s sake—how did you kiss on screen before you were married then?

There is a quote by psychologist Dorothy Rowe that you tweeted: “Depression is a prison where you are both the suffering prisoner and the cruel jailor.” Have you ever suffered from it?
I have anxiety. And I’m treating my anxiety. I’m on medication for my anxiety. Why am I saying this? Because it’s a completely normal thing. It’s a biological problem. In my family there have been cases of depression. More and more people should talk openly about it. There is nothing shameful about it. I want to make this my mission, to take any shame out of this, to educate people about this.

How many times has your heart been broken?
Once.

The exact moment you knew you had arrived in Bollywood?
When Raju Hirani called me up after Band Baaja Baaraat and said that he would like to work with me.

Choose one: A great love or a great career?
Right now, a great career. But my answer can change with time.

Bollywood party or a TV dinner?
TV dinner. Any bloody day. Every single day. I love eating in bed.

An actor you think has a great body?
Akshay Kumar, because he’s fit, he works out naturally, not pumping up his body with artificial stuff. Look at his arms, no bulging biceps, just those cuts. Women don’t really like those pumped up bodies, only other guys do.

Ten minutes chatting with an actor or 10 minutes with a pizza?
Chatting with an actor. I don’t like pizza! Except Starita’s in Naples. If I get that, then no actor!