Kriti Sanon on her journey in B-town and what it has taught her in five years
Ashwini Deshmukh (HINDUTAN TIMES; December 1, 2019)

In an industry full of star daughters was it difficult to be an outsider?
Everyone has his or her own journey. It hasn’t been as easy as it would have been had I been born in a film family. People would’ve known me even before I entered. I’d have probably got an opportunity easily. I’d have signed my second film before my first film released. I’d have appeared on Koffee With Karan way faster. But the competition is so stiff today, you need talent to survive, no matter where you come from or how good you look.

What truths did you unravel along the way?
The fact that things change every Friday. People’s behaviour towards you also changes with your success and failure. People trust you but if you falter, that trust goes into the bin. Things are not permanent here. I also don’t know how close you can be to people you’re working with. You work on a film and become like a family. Then you move to another film and most people lose touch with you.

Have you changed as a person?
My core hasn’t changed but I’ve opened up as a person. I was too stuck up. I’m still a little stuck up. Earlier, things were either black or white. I had lived a protected life and didn’t know any better. But now I understand the greys; that right or wrong is subjective.

How have you dealt with heartbreak?
You go through experiences, good or bad for a reason. Either they become a memory or they become a lesson. I’ve been through ups and downs in relationships. Sometimes, I’ve hurt someone and at times I’ve got hurt. It’s made me realise I’m way stronger than what I believed I was. I also realised that things heal with time and you need to give yourself time. I’ve learnt that it’s okay not to feel okay. It’s okay to wake up in the morning, not wanting to do anything and sleep the entire day. It’s okay to feel low but it’s not okay to blame yourself for everything that happens in your life.

Failure in love or career – which is harder to deal with?
Heartbreak is bigger to deal with any day. If you can deal with that you can deal with anything. But failure in your career also affects you. We pretend to be strong. On the outside, we show we’re unaffected, smiling and posing for the paparazzi. But when things don’t go right, you do sit in your room and sulk.

Are you looking for love?
Honestly, I’d love to fall in love but I’m not hunting for it. I’m happy and busy in my life. I’m excited about other things. But at the same time, I’m not closed to the idea of love. Love is a beautiful feeling but with the right person.

Would you consider marrying an actor?
It’s a tricky question because you end up meeting only actors or film people. I’m either on the sets or attending some film party. It’s weird we don’t meet anyone outside the industry. Generally, any relationship in the industry is extremely tricky to manage and maintain. For that matter any relationship is difficult to maintain. Every relationship needs a two-sided effort. Here you end up meeting a lot of good-looking people. For me loyalty matters. I’m an extremely loyal person. So, I expect that from my partner too. Yes, things are a bit frivolous, superficial and fast moving in this industry but in the end, you want to marry a person who gives you stability. You want someone you can trust; you want someone who’s going to be there for you. I definitely want to marry and settle down with someone stable. I believe in the institution of marriage. But I want to marry only when I feel that this is the one I want to spend my life with; this is someone I can trust and someone I don’t need to question.

Your journey in one word…
Dreamlike.