Though Sadak 2, which had released digitally in 2020, had glimpses of Pooja Bhatt from Sadak (1991), R Balki’s film, Chup - Revenge Of The Artist, will mark her return to the big screen. The psychological thriller also features Sunny Deol, Dulquer Salman and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Last year, Pooja came into the spotlight for her performance in her digital show, Bombay Begums, and she is now keen to play strong, pivotal parts in her future projects.

The actress, who assisted her father, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, on Sadak 2, says that she had no plans to return to acting back then. However, her role in the digital show has enthused her to face the camera once again. “I feel privileged that I could play my age on screen in this youth-obsessed world and industry. Otherwise, who gets to play such strong characters at 49? I must say, times are changing,” says Pooja, adding, “I feel this is the best time for actors of all shapes, sizes, ages and backgrounds. Today, there are far more opportunities than in the ’90s when a hero and a heroine had to look and be a certain way. Conventional Bollywood was obsessed with youth, but OTT has wiped that out. With the digital medium, there’s a new language we speak, and Bollywood needs to catch up with it.”

Talking about how she wants her second innings as an actor to shape up, she shares, “Bombay Begums was a perfect fit for me. After that, I wasn’t really looking desperately for new projects. Then this new film just came my way. I am not here to hope, plot and plan. I am here to respond to what comes my way. I am just looking to have unique experiences here. I want to learn new things, improve, grow and push my limits. I am not looking to be in a comfort zone. I am glad that in a short span, I got to do a web show and the film.”

Excited to team up with Balki, Pooja says, “He’s a fantastic director. I liked his film Cheeni Kum. One knows of Balki and the kind of work he has created in the world of advertising. He is known for his details and aesthetics, and he has a different kind of gaze. So, when this project came to me, saying yes was a no brainer.”

Remind Pooja that she has returned to the industry at a time when her sister Alia is among the top actresses, and she says, “Well, this will require a whole different discussion because I can’t sum up Alia Bhatt’s career in two sentences. I have to be fair to my younger sister, who is the better version of me. I can’t speak about her work in films in a few lines.”