Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; February 21, 2018)

The room turns a little more colourful when the petite and spunky Nushrat Bharucha enters, flashing us a cheerful smile. The actress has been busy with promotional activities for her upcoming film, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, written and directed by Luv Ranjan, in which she plays the protagonist Sweety, a too-good-to-be-true bride whose intentions are doubted by the groom’s best friend. As she sits down and sips her black coffee, Nushrat opens up on how she has found comfort in playing the protagonist in Luv Ranjan’s movies, Bollywood’s cliché format of depicting love stories and her wait for that one film which will redefine people’s perception about her. Excerpts:

Unlike most actors, you lost weight after your film wrapped up. What was the reason?
Luv Ranjan does not believe in bikini bodies. Therefore, he always insists that we look like relatable characters onscreen. So, I had to look like someone who belongs to a khaate peete ghar ki ladki and portray a girl who is not really diet-conscious. But after the film’s shoot was complete, Luv sir wanted me to reduce weight for two songs, which were yet to be shot. And so, I had to hit the gym and also turn vegan because my weight had hit a plateau. For me, it was tough staying away from non-vegetarian food, but I have shed around five to eight kilos after the film.

After the Pyaar Ka Punchnama franchise and Akaash Vani, this is your fourth film with Luv Ranjan...
We enjoy the creative process we share. We have been working together for seven years and there have been fluctuations and disagreements, but there is a kind of job satisfaction in delivering what sir wants. I like the faith he has in me that I will deliver exactly the way he wants and I don’t have to try too hard to please him. I want to work outside his banner, but I am not willing to do the same kind of work that I do with Luv sir, with other filmmakers. Others come to me with similar scripts, hence I continue to work with him.

So, you don’t mind getting stereotyped? As an actor, don’t you want to experiment with different kinds of roles?
I don’t think I am getting typecast. I did Love Sex Aur Dhoka, but Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) did so well that people only remember me as this angry girl, who possesses mean traits. People don’t remember my work in my earlier films as PKP has been etched forever in their minds. So, I get similar kind of roles. I often feel that perhaps the next film I get will change people’s perception of me. I am hoping that Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety will do the trick.

What is the one thing that you would like to change about the way love stories are depicted in Bollywood?
Hindi films tend to over-romanticise situations. There was an era for such films, but it is over. Now, the lesser you say, the more it conveys. There should be less dialoguebaazi. Some films still continue to portray in a cliché fashion how a girl meets a boy and falls in love. While a few films tried a different format, we are still sticking to the same formula.

There is a debate about how Bollywood offers dry up for actresses in their late 30s, while the men continue to rule the roost even in their late 40s. What are your views?
The reason why a filmmaker will invest in a male actor is because he will be able to sustain footfalls in the theatre till he turns 50. Do you feel an actress will be able to do that in her 50s in Bollywood? Meryl Streep is doing that in Hollywood. I hope that by the time I cross 30, my seniors would have paved the way for me to do different films.

Talking about actresses getting their due in Bollywood, you have been a part of the industry for some time now . Do you now feel like a star?
Not at all. Even recently, when my car driver did not show up, I wrapped a scarf around my head and took the rickshaw to work. Honestly speaking, I did not come here because I love stardom. I am happy that people are reacting to my work, that is my reward. Till date, people call me the PKP girl and I tell them, ‘Please call me Nushrat Bharucha’. Having said that, I don’t feel bad about it. Like I said before, I am just that one film away to change people’s perception about me.

In real life, if you were getting married soon, what would you want from your relationship?
When I was a teenager, I had this romantic idea of a relationship that would eventually end in a fairy-tale wedding. But today, after many boyfriends, I feel love is not enough to sustain a relationship. I have realised that more than love, a couple needs to respect the companionship they share and stand by each other in times of need. We all go through varied emotions of love every day, but I am single.

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, produced by TSeries’ Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Luv Films’ Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg, releases on February 23.