Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 13, 2018)

Actress Alankrita Sahai attributes her foray into cinema to the Miss Diva platform. In a chat with Bombay Times, the Delhi girl, who now calls Mumbai her home, talks about why she is perhaps the most unlikely beauty queen and spills the beans on her upcoming film Namaste England, starring Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra. Excerpts...

You made a successful film debut this year with a web film, Love Per Square Foot, co-starring Vicky Kaushal and you have another big release lined up, Namaste England. You must be thrilled...
I am happy for Vicky. When you see an actor you’ve worked with doing so well, it makes you happy. Everyone deserves their due. I enjoy being on a film set and I am thrilled that I have two film releases in the same year. I’ve also done a few commercials.

Your full-fledged Bollywood outing, Namaste England, seems interesting. Tell us a bit about the film and your role in it.
It’s a romcom, but not exactly a sequel to Namastey London (2007), as the story is different, but it does revolve around relationships. Love has no boundaries. When you love someone, you just love them without expecting anything in return. I play Alisha, the third angle in a love triangle. She is a Punjabi kudi in London, who’s warm, happy-go-lucky and independent. It’s a significant role, as it changes the equation between characters in the film. Arjun and Parineeti are established actors, and they are so good to work with. I am also thrilled and grateful to have bagged a three-film deal with Vipul Shah, who has allowed me to work on other films simultaneously.

Did winning the Miss Diva Earth 2014 title help you pave the way for films?
Miss Diva gave me a platform to showcase my talent and my name. I definitely wanted to do films and the pageant was a step towards that goal. My parents always told me, ‘Naam kamaa, paisa khud aayega.’ The pageant gave me an identity. It opened several doors for me. If you are not from the film industry, you need to work a lot more than the others. You have to go step by step, as it’s unlikely that you will get a film directly.

Representing your country at Miss Earth 2014 in Philippines must have been a valuable experience...
When I was a kid, my mom gave me a diary and told me to write what I wanted to become when I grew up. I wanted to be an IAS officer back then and hoped to serve the country and make India proud. As luck would have it, I got to represent my nation at Miss Earth. My mom reminded me, ‘You wanted to do something for the country and you are now doing it in a different way.’

From the girl-next-door to a beauty queen, what was your biggest challenge?
I was into dramatics and extracurricular activities from the beginning, so stage fright never bothered me. I wasn’t worried about being in shape either as I am a health freak and was always into sports. What made me nervous was the hair, makeup and dressing part. I was a total tomboy in school, as I grew up with the boys. Till date, I don’t know how to paint my nails.

What has been your life’s biggest learning so far?
Rejection. I have learned a lot more from rejection than from success. It changes your attitude and for good, sometimes. You have to be patient and be a people’s person. Also, be yourself and love yourself. As women, let’s empower each other instead of being judgemental. Let’s not make it easier for men to pull us down.