Kriti Sanon is an engineer-turned actor. Despite no industry lineage, she has done three films as the female lead since her debut with Heropanti (2014). In a candid chat with BT, she talks about how it is important to choose films that will help a newcomer spread her reach, being told that she is too pretty for a role and the constant media scrutiny on her alleged relationship with Sushant Singh Rajput, who is also her co-star in the upcoming film, Raabta. Excerpts...

You are a qualified engineer. After putting in so much hard work, why did you decide to pursue a career in films, a territory alien to you?
Whether it is your education or career, everything requires hard work. I was inclined towards dancing, but acting was something that I had never done before. When I started doing TV commercials, I realised that I loved shooting and I didn't feel conscious in front of the camera. It didn't feel like work. That's what made me choose films over engineering as a profession. I was studious, a 90 percenter and a front bencher, so no matter what I do, I am stressed if I am not prepared. I enjoy the process of giving shape to a character and figuring out what works for me as an actor and what doesn't. I am not someone who can tap into personal experience for inspiration. For me, it's all about the character and what she is feeling. It's been a fun journey so far. Learning something new every day and also getting paid for it is what excites me.

You are not a trained actor and you come from a modelling background. Have your good looks ever acted against you when it came to landing a role?
When I was modelling, I used to keep hearing 'models can't act', which is untrue. Since models are supposed to be good looking, there's an assumption that they are dumb, which is weird. I have met so many models who come from varied educational backgrounds, including medicine. So, I think it's dated to have such a perception. Though I haven't had anybody say that to me, people have often told me that I am too pretty for a role. I have heard things like the character is not supposed to be pretty, but it doesn't work that way. For example, in Udta Punjab, Alia looked completely different. It's the make-up artiste and the director's job to make an actor look the part. My role in my next is not glamourous at all. She is tomboyish - comfortable wearing pull-overs, pyjamas, rolled-up denims, kurtas and half-jackets, and smokes on the sly. So, it's not like I am not getting roles like that. As an actor, you also have to make a conscious effort to choose roles that give you the opportunity to present yourself differently. Sometimes, you are judged on the kind of films that you do. Sometimes, I have to repeatedly remind people that I have done only two Hindi films. I have met directors who have told me, 'This is not the kind of film you like' and I would reply, 'One second, how do you know what's my kind of film because I have done only two films?' When it comes to serious cinema or what is referred to as dark, edgy or art cinema, I would love to do that. I just need one person to believe in me that I can do it.

Raabta is your third Hindi film in which you play the female lead. Do you feel that you have 'arrived' or made the cut in Bollywood?
I don't think I have arrived; for that matter, I don't know when you get to know that you've arrived. I think one needs many films to arrive in this industry and also, the situation changes every Friday. I feel that I am blessed; for a non-industry kid, the kind of acceptance I got after Heropanti was overwhelming. I feel that your first film shapes the rest of your career. It gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent. My second film (Dilwale) was again a huge opportunity as I was just one film old.

Are you saying that it's imperative to be strategic and smart about your choice of films?
Initially, it is important to connect with the audience. When you don't have a last name that the audience connects to instantly, the films that you do must have a certain reach.After your debut, you can't do a movie which might not be watched by a lot of people. With Raabta, my craving to do a performance oriented role has been satisfied. I have not played two characters in a film before. Also, the two are not your typical girls-next-door. They are layered - different from what I am and from each other.

Some love stories in the recent past have failed to stir romance on screen. Does Raabta try to strike a balance between the old world and contemporary narratives?
Yes, it does manage to strike the balance. Today, love is frivolous and relationships are broken easily, but this was not the case back then. However, in olden times too, there were conflicts - a villain who would come between the lovers. So, it's important to have conflict in a love story. Some love stories bring in that conflict even today. For example, 2 States, where there was a cultural difference between the lead pair. But when the conflict isn't strong enough, it falls flat. Sometimes, love stories are superficial and that's why the audience doesn't connect with it. Considering that pure love is rare in real life, the audience will want to see it on screen at least.

You are often clicked by the paparazzi, hanging out with your co-star, Sushant Singh Rajput. Rumour suggests that you two are in a relationship. What do you have to say about it?
Every other day, I read about how I have opened up about this affair or how Sushant has opened up about it. I don't know how many times we have supposedly opened up about it. There are so many fictional stories going around... in fact, one even suggested that I was holidaying with him in Bangkok, when I was actually sitting with my sister and sipping chai. Now, we just laugh it off. Being spotted on a drive with Sushant or watching a movie with him means nothing ...what's the big deal?