Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; September 29, 2017)

She’s spunky, spirited and spontaneous. Interviewing Bhumi Pednekar is a pleasant surprise as she’s a far cry from her on-screen persona. She may have proved her mettle in a slew of off-beat films — Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan— with serious plot lines, but off screen, she can be silly and fun. She’s sporting enough to answer the questions we pose without batting an eyelid. The true-blue Mumbaiker talks about things she loves and hates, her take on style, pick-up lines, dealing with break-up and relationship gyaan...

What’s on your mind right now?
The fact that Shubh Mangal Saavdhan has worked so well!

On a scale of 1-10, how badly do you want to sleep now?
100!

What has made you really angry today?
The traffic!

One motto in life you swear by:
Live each moment as it comes.

What turns you on?
Food.

A turn off?
Body odour!

What kind of a lover are you?
I’m super passionate.

What do you love most about Mumbai?
Oh my God, it has to be everything. Mumbai is in my blood, it’s an emotion. I can write a book on how much I love the city.

How do you handle the jetlag?
I just sleep it off!

What’s the best and worst colour to wear?
The worst colour is a greyish military green with ochre and the best would be red!

Have you ever cut your own hair?
Never ever!

Who’s your style icon?
Currently, I really like Gigi Hadid. And Marilyn Monroe is an all time favourite.

What trend will you never get tired of?
Wide-legged pants.

What trend you wish never came back?
Crimped hair.

What accessory you would never leave your home without?
My ring.

What is your favourite memory from childhood?
Dancing to Chaiyya Chaiyya at every dinner party.

If you had to be a Disney character, who would you be and why?
Ariel, because I was always fascinated about a cross between a human and a fish, which is a mermaid. I feel like one all the time.

Best advice from your mom?
That, you are beautiful inside and it doesn’t matter what people think of you.

Other than family, who do you call for advice?
My best friend Sharmi.

The most romantic thing someone has done for you?
Back in the day, there was this boy I was seeing. He actually filled the entire room with roses and made a path out of them. It was pretty romantic.

What’s the most romantic thing you’ve done for someone?
I made a scrapbook for someone in college, with a lot of pictures and a whole bunch of memories, which took a lot of time. That’s the most romantic thing I’ve done.

Ever had a heartbreak / a failed relationship?
Oh, yeah, of course!

How did you deal with it?
I cried and then, I got over it.

Do you give or take relationship advice?
I do both. I have a lot of advice to give to people, most of the times. (Smiles)

Who are you advising now?
My friends, all my girls who are struggling with their boyfriends. I’m always giving them advice.

What’s the patent advice you’ve been giving them?
That they are boys! (Laughs)

What would you never tolerate in a relationship?
Disrespect. I will walk out!

Would you ever be on Tinder?
If I wasn’t an actor, maybe!

Were you on Tinder when you weren’t an actor?
No, unfortunately, Tinder wasn’t that big when I was not an actress.

One night stands or a long term relationship?
Long-term relationships.

Who was the last person you called?
My manager Hetal.

What did you talk about?
Do we have the dress right?

Any marriage plans?
None at all. (Laughs)

What’s your favourite pie?
I’m such an apple crumble, apple pie person!

Who is your girl crush right now?
Priyanka Chopra

Why?
I have actually adored her since I was 10 maybe, when she became Miss India. She’s just super strong and I crush on all strong women!

What’s your most used emoji?
The monkey hiding his face.

Do you have any tattoos?
None at all.

What’s one thing about you that you wish more people knew?
That I’m actually an urban girl and nothing like the characters I play. (Laughs loudly)

What sport are you the worst at?
Football.

Best show on Netflix right now?
Vikings, that’s what I’m watching right now.

The last Internet video that made you laugh?
I actually saw this video where these kids spoofed the entire trailer of Toilet (Ek Prem Katha). I found it adorable!

What do you think of horoscopes?
They are fun, I read them every day in the morning but I don’t remember them after five minutes. (Smiles)

Favourite song to sing in the shower?
It can be anything, no song is fixed. But recently, I have been really fixated on the title track of Badrinath Ki Dulhania. I don’t know how it happened.

Your signature dish?
Pizza.

What’s the favourite dish your mom cooks?
Bharta.

Do you cook?
Not at all!

How many kids do you wanna have?
Three.

Favourite drink?
Nimbu paani.

Favourite dessert?
Apple pie or a gooey chocolate brownie.

Which is the best night spot in Mumbai?
Currently, I don’t know as it’s been over a year as I went out. (Laughs) Growing up, I will tell you the clubs I used to visit. I loved Privy, Ra, there’s Poison for Saturday Nights. But Privy is my place to be!

Favourite place you’ve visited?
Ibiza. I love it. I go there every year.

If you were a super-heroine, what would your power be?
I want the power to just attract all the positives from people and use it for my betterment. But I want them also to have it.

What’s your spirit animal?
Butterfly. Because I think I’m a free spirit, someone who’s very easy and I believe in evolving with time. That’s a butterfly’s circle.

What’s that one thing you have to have for a shoot?
Upinderji!

Do you have an alter ego that comes out during shoots?
No, but it comes out at home. When I’m angry or when my sister and I fight, then all our alter egos come out. (Laughs)

Your most memorable cover?
I have done too many. But my first cover was for Women’s Health where they celebrated my weight loss. That was really special.

The biggest moment in your career so far?
Getting Dum Laga Ke Haisha.

When was your first photoshoot?
In life? I was probably three. It was for nothing. My parents got me totally decked up, with red lipstick, silver jewellery and I’m legit pouting.

What exciting fashion stuff do you have coming around the corner?
I’m more of a film person. But since I was promoting, I was wearing bomb clothes everyday.

Want to have your own Barbie doll?
Ahh, yes! But I’d like my Barbie doll to be in my Dum Laga Ke Haisha avatar.

Favourite lipstick colour?
Velvet Teddy.

What time do you go to bed?
10.30 pm.

Ever sleep with make-up on?
Never!

How long have you gone without your phone?
Only while I’m asleep.

How often do you look in the mirror?
I have lost count. Any shiny, reflective surface and I’m checking myself out!

The best part of being an actor?
That you get to play these different people, to have an alternate personality every three months.

What’s the worst part?
Nothing that I’ve faced yet.

Your favourite app?
Instagram.

Fav movie this year?
Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan.

The most expensive thing you bought recently?
My car!

What fetish do you have?
I’m just a shopaholic. I have hordes of clothes that are still tagged.

Which is the worst pick up line used on you?
Did you just fall from heaven because you look like an angel? People have used some really cheesy ones on me, that too in Europe. I was shocked.

Books or movies?
Books.

Chocolates or cakes?
Chocolate cake.

SRK or Salman?
Salman!

Friends with benefits or one night stands?
Friends with benefits

What’s that one thing you will never do ever?
I will never ever live away from my family.

What’s the other language you can speak other than English and Hindi?
The language of love.

How much cash do you have right now?
I don’t know. Maybe Rs 3,000-Rs 4000.

What are the five things you cannot live without?
My phone, my books, my make-up, my food and my clothes.

Did you lie during the interview?
No!