Disha Patni to feature in a special track titled Do you, in Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 3
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; February 26, 2020)

If the past few months are testimony, cinephiles were certainly eager to see Disha Patani feature in Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor's upcoming actioner Baaghi 3. While it was initially suggested that Patani would play a cameo in the film, rumour mills later indicated that she would feature alongside Shroff in the remake of Dus bahane. While both suggestions turned out to be inaccurate, Patani confirms to mid-day that she will be seen in the Ahmed Khan film in a special track titled Do you.

"It is a song that will certainly get one grooving. When I heard it for the first time, I was excited. I've never attempted this specific style of dance before. It was challenging, but I enjoyed shooting for it. Adil sir [Shaikh, choreographer] has shot it well, and Ahmed sir ensured I look my best. I hope audiences love it," Patani says.

Composed by Tanishk Bagchi, and rendered by Nikhita Gandhi, the track is a remake of British record producer TroyBoi's Do you. Apart from the hook line, the rest of the verses will be in Hindi.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 3, 2020)

On the internet, she appears to be a diva. In person, she’s a tomboy who loves wearing her hair messily, slips into comfy and functional clothes and hops across to a cafe to get herself a cuppa coffee. In a chat with BT, Disha Patani talks about living life on the edge, her social media image, why it’s important to strike a balance between work and life and of course, her sizzling chemistry with co-star Aditya Roy Kapur in Mohit Suri’s upcoming film, Malang. Read on...

After doing just four films in five years, 2020 seems to be busier than usual for you, with Malang opposite Aditya Roy Kapur and Radhe with Salman Khan…
I hope the year goes well. Even after doing a few films, I feel like a newcomer. With every film that works, expectations rise, which is a little daunting. For instance, I love dancing, but when I do it on screen, it’s not for myself. I don’t pick up choreography easily; I rehearse a lot to perfect it. I have to keep my body energised, monitor my diet and put in hours on the floor, but when the results are great, it’s relieving.

Yes, that is evident… you use social media to largely display your fit physique and share workout videos...
(Laughs!) I actually enjoy working out. There’s no better feeling than not having backaches. I have bruised my knees so many times that today, I know the value of keeping my leg muscles in order. Fitness plays a different role in my life. I am sure people think that I do it so I can look a certain way, but with the kind of lives we lead, it’s just so important to stay healthy all the time. I work hard on my body all the time and it makes my dance and action look effortless.

Speaking of Malang, your sizzling chemistry with Aditya has got people talking. Did you know him from before?
Yes, I knew him socially before we started working together. We had met many years ago in a gym where we would workout together. It was a little awkward to meet him as a co-star. If you’ve known someone for a long time, it becomes weird to act with them. In Aditya’s case, it was fun. As buddies, off camera, we took each other’s case. As actors, it was important to get rid of the awkwardness while performing passionate or deeply romantic scenes with conviction. In our case, we just acted our parts out without any strategy in place. We didn’t even chat about the scenes; we just took the plunge. Talking about them would have been stranger.

You’ve said that Sara, your character in Malang,is quite close to your real self. Although you love adventure activities, did you have to prep hard for some of the adventure-sport scenes in the film?
We had very little training for it. Watersurfing and kitesurfing can be difficult; in fact, the latter can be life-threatening, as you could bang yourself into a tree or die in a road mishap because it entirely relies on the kite and the wind. You need years of training to perfect it. Water-surfing is relatively easier. On one occasion, I had to jump from a hill into the water. I was shaking the first time I had to do it for the camera. I injured my head and was hard of hearing for the whole day. I had almost died when I tried that from a smaller height in a swimming pool as a kid. So, it all looks like we were having fun, but it was stressful. Personally, I love doing crazy things but here, we were pushed to just do everything without much training.

Over the last one year or so, there’s been constant chatter about you in the press — some of it is flattering and some of it is not. Does it bother you?
I don’t read much of what’s written about me. Not following news updates just keeps me peaceful. I’ve always kept my life away from the work I do. In this industry, wherever you go, people talk shop. You need to balance that with a simple life where you go back home to other normal things. We’re not just actors, we’re human beings, too. My friends and I don’t talk work when we meet, even though some of us are in the same business. We play video games and chill. When I’m not working, I walk into cafes and buy coffee for myself. I’m usually in messy, relaxed, workout clothes, with no make-up and hair tied in a bun or something. Dressing up is like a little break from that, when I want to be my cute or pretty self. At heart, I am a tomboy and I go back to being that every single day.

Do you feel that there’s too much scrutiny about what an actor wears everywhere he/she goes? There is also a lot of discussion of what they said or did not say. Is that too much to deal with at times?
I don’t Google myself, so I don’t know who says what. Earlier I thought that I’m an actor and my job is to just play a part. But actually, I also have to be entertaining when I meet people, and say these cool and funny things. I’m a boring person and I find it very hard to be funny and gimmicky. As for clothes, at the beginning of the career, you want to dress up and look a certain way. With time, you realise it doesn’t matter. No matter what you do, people will always have something to say. The idea is to be yourself and do what you like.

Have you always lived life on the edge, like your character in Malang?
Not entirely, but in some way I can say that I have. The decision to come to Mumbai, opting for a career in modelling and acting over completing B.Tech was like living on the edge. I am not as young as I was in those days. I was more carefree then and I made decisions which probably, I wouldn’t make today. The decisions worked for me, but now, I am relatively playing it safe. The older you grow the more you start thinking. Of course, sometimes it’s best not to think and go for what your heart says. What’s the worst that can happen? You have to strike a balance between these two spaces — being on the edge and playing it safe. I live alone here, all by myself with my dogs and cats, who are my responsibilities.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 13, 2020)

For Mohit Suri, success doesn’t equate to money. He believes in making films that helps him give out talent and stars to the industry. “You won’t be remembered by how much money you make, but you’ll be remembered for whatever you give back to the industry,” he states. The filmmaker who’s gearing up for the release of Malang says that with the film, he wants to show everyone a new version of Disha Patani. He says, “The whole world feels that Disha is just a pretty face and a hot body. She has something more in her. She’s got head and heart too.”

But ask him about her glamorous avatar in the film and Mohit says, “There is a perfect blend of glam quotient and bohemian vibe surrounding the character, both qualities which I could imagine Disha to complement effortlessly. The response to Disha’s role has been great so far. I’m sure the audience will be able to connect with her even more after watching Malang.”

He says that Disha is a shining example of an emotionally strong and carefree girl that made her fit the bill in Malang. He says, “Disha is a strong and fearless girl. So, she comprehended the character’s qualities very smoothly. Her character, Sara’s a free-spirited, wild-soul who lives life on her own terms and Disha suited this character the best.”

Talking about the women in his films, he says, “I believe women are emotionally stronger than men and have a better way of handling everything. I’ve been around women who’ve been strong inside-out and I really respect them for that. I guess it’s this very ideology that I’ve grown up with that translates on screen each time.”

Meena Iyer (DNA; May 24, 2019)

The dishy Disha Patani (MS Dhoni, Baaghi 2) will be seen next as a circus girl in Salman Khan’s Eid offering Bharat. Word on the street is that the boys find this Bareilly ki barfi (she hails from the northern city) hot, hot, hot, thanks to her lissome figure and attractive face. However, she is often spotted with Tiger Shroff, so everyone maintains a safe distance.

Even her media interactions are rehearsed, leaving no room for spontaneity and even less scope for controversy. Since these are her early days in B-Town, we indulge her, sticking to ‘safe’ zones and record her staccato responses. Excerpts from our chat…

We just overheard you telling another journalist that you would like to do a remake of the Hrithik Roshan-Katrina Kaif 2014 action comedy flick, Bang Bang. True?
Yes. I would love to do the movie with Hrithik.

Why not with Tiger?
Oh, I have done Baaghi 2 with him. Now, I would like to work with Hrithik.

Tiger says you are a close friend.
Yes, he is my best friend too. Besides him, I don’t have any pals in the film industry.

Are both of you similar?
Yes and no. Both of us are hardworking, but he is more driven than me. We are ambitious and have big goals. However, I am more chilled out. He never gives up, he is so intense. I admire that about Tiger.

Anyway, word is that guys find you hot?
In my entire life, no guy has come up to me and said that they find me hot. No one flirts with me; they have not even attempted to do so.

They must be scared.
(Laughs) How scared? From my growing-up years until now, I haven’t been approached by anybody. I have a confession. During my childhood, I was a bit of a tomboy. My dad raised me like a boy. I even wore my hair short until I was in the ninth grade. It is only when I went to the 10th grade that I started growing my hair. I was also an introvert. In school, I was a quiet student and confined myself to the last bench.

Coming to Bharat, would you say this is your big break?
I never think like that. If I like something, I do it.

How was it working with Ali Abbas Zafar?
Well, Ali and I are from Uttarakhand. So, we had that connection. I liked working with him.

Salman Khan says you are pretty and hardworking?
Oh, did he? Why don’t more people come and tell me this sort of a thing? It’s so sweet of Salman sir to say this. He is kind. I observed him being approached by many people for various things and he always helped them. He is a family-oriented person. During the shoot, he would always call for food from his home and feed all of us.

But we heard you are so particular about your diet… 
Yes, I am. However, I would sit with the rest of the group when Salman sir called. It was a warm, nice feeling to be with everyone.

Anyway, what is your diet like?
I eat wholesome meals; carbs and proteins. Mostly chicken and rice.

Is it home-cooked?
Sometimes. Otherwise, I have a particular restaurant in Bandra that knows how I like my food. So, it comes from there. The chef in that restaurant knows I’m gluten and lactose intolerant. Also, my food is practically bland; it has less salt and no masala.

Were you always so diet-conscious?
I ate home-cooked food in Bareilly. I had no issues with that. However, when I moved to Mumbai I was living alone. I would cook my own food. I would sometimes make an omelette or just casually toss up a light meal. Then I went on a gluten-free diet for a long time. After a few weeks, I craved a change and tried eating bread and rotis. This time, my stomach didn’t take well to gluten. I also need to stay in a particular shape, so I have to make sure that I eat right.

Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor and so many other girls are your contemporaries. How do you assess competition?
I think there is enough opportunity for everybody. I am happy that so many girls from varied backgrounds are here. I want everyone to do well. Frankly, I don’t think there is any kind of competition or rat race.

I also feel people tend to play more comparison games between girls than they do with the boys. I don’t understand this. We girls have different personalities and our own skill sets. We are not here just to look good. We work hard, we have goals.

Any filmmaker you are keen to work with?
Sanjay Leela Bhansali. However, I am scared of him because I have heard stories of him being strict. I sometimes feel I may not be able to give the level of perfection Sanjay sir seeks.

Did such a situation arise on the sets of Bharat?
No, Bharat is more commercial. I had to be super sharp, but it was fun. I play a girl from a circus and I managed to do what was needed of me.

You are in the same film with Katrina Kaif, hmmm…?
There isn’t much interaction. However, I must confess that I have been a Katrina fan since the time I saw her in the song, Jee Karda, from Singh Is Kinng (2008) where she was wearing a pink skirt. She looked like a Barbie Doll.

Go on…
Bharat was a dream come true. I’m barely two films old and here I am working with Katrina mam, Tabu mam and Salman sir. Though we are not in the same frame, we are in the same film. And that feels so great. People need not be a part of a rat race. You do not need to compete with one another. You need to be good at what you do.

Actress’s trainer on her extensive prep to play a trapeze artist in the ’60s in Salman Khan’s 2019 release
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 19, 2018)

Mirror had earlier reported (May 17) that Disha Patani will be joining Salman Khan in the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed Bharat, in which she plays a trapeze artiste in a 1960s circus, a pivotal character in the story. Before she kicked off shooting, Disha was trained by her fitness expert, Nadeem Akhtar for three months in gymnastics and parkour.

“I’ve been working with Disha for years now. We spent a considerable amount of time to prepare her for Bharat. In the initial brief, I was told that she will have circus sequences like passing through a ring, among others. Besides the regular training, we started focusing on air cartwheels, front flips and headspring, as that agility was imperative for the part,” Nadeem informs.

The film’s team had arranged for a body double for Disha, but the actress pulled off the stunts on her own. “During the practice, she also injured her knee, but didn’t let that come in the way of the shoot. We rehearsed with the harness a day ahead of call-time and on the final day. In the film, you’ll see her hanging from a ring and passing through fire,” the trainer reveals, gushing about another stunt featuring Salman and Disha. “It’s a very interesting sequence and I am sure everyone will love it.”

To prepare for the strenuous shoot, Disha and Nadeem trained every day for two hours. “Safety was a priority for us at all times, including during the shoot, when safety nets and harnesses are used. We tried a lot of gymnastic moves but Disha enjoyed the front flips the most. We didn’t make many changes in her diet as she already eats healthy, which is crucial when one is doing heavy exercises. We had told her to keep away from oily and spicy food,” Nadeem signs off.

Disha Patani on the DNA iCan initiative and why fitness is for all...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; March 25, 2017)

Over the past year, if we’ve learned anything about Disha Patani, it’s that she’s fit and flaunting it. Look at her Instagram videos and posts and you will know what we are talking about! She is one of the fittest Gen-Y actresses today and that’s why we decided to get her to talk about fitness. Here’s what she said...

Daily routine
I follow a routine on a daily basis, which comprises dance class, gymnastics and going to the gym. I also spend about half an hour on yoga, too.

Fitness is…
Being active, being able to sustain and survive any task in any given situation and come out a winner.

Necessity or love?
I was always into sports and as a sportsperson, you need to be fit to survive and play from start to finish. As I grew up, I started practising gymnastics. I love dancing as well. So that keeps me fit.

Run a marathon?
I haven’t, yet. But it is definitely on my bucket list and I plan to strike it off soon.

Principles of fitness
Discipline, dedication, stamina and endurance.

Fitness for everyone!
Not just women, people in general should be fit. They should engage in at least one activity daily — be it jogging, swimming, dancing, etc.

On DNA iCan
It’s a beautiful initiative where women come together and they run for themselves which, in turn, is gonna help others, too. It’s a brilliant idea.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 15, 2016)


Another sport Disha loves is basketball, which she played in school and was a state-level player. “I have always been into sports and luckily all these things have helped in my fitness too,” smiles the actress. An avid dancer — she used to shake a leg in front of the mirror when she was a child — Disha has taken up the hip-hop dance form to train. “Earlier I used to watch videos and dance, now I have my own team and I am enjoying it,” she says.