Actor Sonakshi Sinha tells us about fighting gender labels in Bollywood, and bullies
Shikha Shah (TIMES LIFE; December 4, 2016)

What kind of a Gemini are you?
I get bored of things pretty quickly, like most Geminis.

Is there anything that you fol low as your daily ritual?
When I am not shooting, I try to squeeze in a meal or tea with my parents. Or, pick up my paint brush. Art is my solace in this chaotic world.

If you had that last precious hundred-rupee note in your pocket, what would you spend it on?
I would spend it on some delicious street food, like Chinese dosa or cheese pav bhaji. What else are we going to get in just hundred rupees anyway? Plus, I am a big foodie, so it will be money well spent.

You are getting fitter day by day. What motivates you?
I think the result is my biggest motivation. I've always been a confident person, ever since my teenage years when I was at my heaviest. Very little of what people said about my weight affected me. I could only lose all that weight when I made up my own mind about it. I wanted to take a step towards being healthy. And when I started seeing the results, I kept going. The worst thing anyone can do is to compare him/herself to someone else. Exercise because you love your body and want it to serve you in the best way it can; not because you hate your body. I am at my fittest right now and I haven't resorted to extreme measures or gone for quick fixes.

What would you tell the people who body shame others?
Body shaming is as bad as racism, discrimination and bullying. Society keeps telling us that it is good to look a certain way and anything other than that is bad or ugly. As women, we have been fed with images that convince us 'thin is beautiful'. We don't realise we all aren't meant to look the same. Young girls at an impressionable age succumb to this pressure and it ruins their health. I would never want any girl to feel like that; and I will feel happy if I am able to influence even one person to be comfortable in her own skin. Whatever you are - tall, short, skinny, chubby - it is important to feel happy and not risk your health.

Are women subjected to body shaming more than men?
In my experience, and the field that I am in, body shaming is definitely directed to women far more. Men are given the freedom to look however they want to. Nobody calls an actor with a big bottom 'thunder thighs', but an actress is subject to such labels. The sad part is that certain sections of the media encourage this. I have been targeted on more than one occasion, and on more body parts than one. It's important to rise over and above all the negativity and not let it affect you.

You've often said that life's ups and downs don't affect you a lot. Isn't it difficult to stay neutral all the time?
I guess that's how I am programmed. I try and find humour in situations and not take myself too seriously. I try and have fun with whatever it is I'm doing. It just makes life way easier and less complicated.

How has your style evolved?
Initially, I didn't pay attention to fashion. As I started working with different stylists and designers, I started understanding fashion more. In my profession, which is a visual medium, it's very important to be well turned out. Once I understood that, I started trying out new things. I don't mind taking risks as long as I learn from them, and when it comes to fashion, I've made quite a few, if I may say so.

What is that one thing you are looking for when it comes to your relation ship with your man?
I would love to be with someone who, like me, does not take life too seriously and is able to see some humour and positivity in every situation. Communication and conversation is so important as well. I want to be with a man with whom I can talk about anything under the sun, with out the fear of being judged.

How do you keep your professional and personal life separate?
It's important to draw a line. In today's day and age of social media overdose, there already is so much of us out there that it is imperative to keep some things to yourself; something that you can call your own.