Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 3, 2019)

Disha Patani is nothing like her Instagram image. She isn’t self-aware about her sex appeal or her sculpted body that sets the temperature soaring in showbiz. In fact, it seems she comes closest to her character from the Dhoni biopic — sweet and simple. In a chat with Bombay times, Disha tells us about her journey so far, her one-sided love for Tiger Shroff (which is hard to believe) and her special appearance in Bharat. Excerpts...

You are considered as one of the fittest and sexiest actresses in Bollywood today. Was it a conscious image to position yourself in a certain way?
I don’t think I am a fitness icon, nor did I aim to be that way. I like to be strong and fit, and it’s not really just about the body. Of course, when you do these photo shoots, which require you to look a certain way, you have to feel confident as far as your body is concerned and you work towards that. I like to dance, do gymnastics. This is who I am. I like being active and I have to do something constantly, or else I feel depressed. When you learn something new, even the smallest of things, it feels like an achievement.

Were you always conscious about the way you look?
Physically, I have undergone a transformation, but inside, I am still shy, tomboyish and in my zone. I am a girl who likes wearing shorts, basketball jersey and simple sports shoes when I am not shooting. I am a mother to three kids (her pets). I was a total tomboy when I was younger. In school, I used to sport short hair and was bullied by kids. It was a difficult life for me back then in Bareilly where I did my schooling. I did my college in Lucknow and Noida before dropping out to become a model in Mumbai. Eventually, I became an actress. Initially, I wanted to be a pilot because my sister is in the Army and father’s a cop, so it ran in the family. I don’t know how that aspiration changed at some point, but it did.

A small-town girl wanting to make it in Bollywood. How difficult was the journey?
I struggle every day to become better. When I shifted to Mumbai, I used to stay in a modest apartment. I used to share it with 16-17-year-old foreign models. They couldn’t speak English, but they lived here on their own. They travelled and cooked themselves. Nobody looked after them. That inspired me a lot. We are used to being protected, pampered and taken care of by our parents. I am actually from Uttarakhand, and leaving that to come here was a big decision. I don’t socialise, so I didn’t really face any issues as far as getting accustomed to the city life is concerned. I am a homebody. And beneath the glamourous exterior, I am still the pahadi girl that I used to be.

You are quite a rage on Instagram. Hailing from a simple and humble background, how do your parents react to your glamourous makeover in showbiz?
I think they are cool with it. My parents have been extremely supportive of me. I’ve always shared the pictures I shoot with my family because I want to keep them in the know. My mother is on Instagram now, with a different name. She stalks me, so I don’t send the pictures anymore (smiles!). I know they are watching me. They know it’s work, and I am not doing anything wrong. I am sure they are proud of me. Of course, my father feels awkward whenever I send my pictures on the family group. After all, he is a father.

Bharat is your first film with Salman Khan. Were you intimidated to share screen space with him?
Not at all. The first time I met him, we had to do a circus sequence in the film where he was on a bike and I had to catch him. I was so preoccupied trying to get that shot right that I had no time to feel nervous. All these stunts were risky, and I needed to be focused. Also, Salman is quite chilled out on the sets. He may come across as intimidating and serious, but he isn’t like that. He is funny and caring.

More often than not, when there are two actresses in one film, it sets tongues wagging on who gets the meatier part, et al. Was that ever your concern?
It really doesn’t matter. When I was approached for Bharat, Priyanka (Chopra Jonas) was supposed to do the other part. Ali (Abbas Zafar) sir told me that my part is a special appearance, so it’s not that I didn’t know about it. I didn’t say yes to the film just to get some attention. I actually loved my role. In the film, I play a girl from the ’70s, and I am happy to be a part of that era. I appear with a younger Salman sir (in the film).

You are often spotted with Tiger Shroff at a Bandra restaurant. Given your collective abs, do you two even eat?
So mean! How can one survive without eating (laughs!)? In fact, you have to eat more to stay fit. It’s a misconception that you need to starve to get the perfect body. You end up putting on more weight when you do that. You have to eat constantly when you want to gain muscle, but what you need to do is eat the right food and eat healthy. Among the two of us, Tiger is more fitness conscious. He is crazy! He is completely focused on his fitness.

You are an outsider. Since Tiger hails from a film family and has been in the business for longer, is he your go-to person for professional advice?
Every decision that I have taken in my life, has always been mine. When you commit to a film or any project, it’s your commitment. You will be working day in and out, so you need to be convinced about it. If you don’t like what you are doing, then the process becomes difficult.

We are assuming that you are aware of how popular you are with the opposite sex. Are you now used to all that attention?
I don’t know if it’s normal, but no man has ever asked me out or proposed to me. I am not lying. I have never got that kind of male attention.

Not even from Tiger?
I have been trying to impress him for a long time, but he doesn’t seem to be interested in me. We go out for dinner and all, but I need more than friendship, but that’s not happening.

Are you telling us that you guys are ‘just friends’?
I want us to be more than that, but it’s one-sided love. I have been trying it all — gymnastics, fitness, et al — to impress him, but it’s not happening. (Ahem, Okay, then!)