Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 29, 2020)

The list of The Times 50 Most Desirable Women 2019 has been unveiled, and India has made its choice! The ranking is based on votes cast in an online poll (on www.toi.in/mostdesirablewomen), along with an internal jury. The list features women under 40 from various fields and industries across the country, and it puts the spotlight on the young and new breed — from women who have made heads turn with their great looks, confidence, talent and style, to those who have made news over the years for the right reasons. This year, Disha Patani takes the top spot on this list. In 2019, the actress featured in Bharat and she was recently seen in Baaghi 3 and Malang. Here’s what she had to say about winning the coveted title...

How does it feel to be India’s Most Desirable Woman of 2019?
I feel the audience is too kind. I am grateful for all the love that I’ve been receiving and it’s a beautiful feeling. It’s fun, but at heart, I am still the tomboy I used to be.

What do you think are the qualities that make you desirable?
I think my relatability is what resonates with the audience. It could be anything — being my own version of fashionable or maybe, staying fit. But, above everything, I am thankful for people’s love and the fact that they find me desirable.

Who would you credit for supporting and nurturing you to be the best version of yourself that we see today?
My mother and sister. They are two of the strongest women I know, and they have really helped me be the best version of myself. And then, the credit goes to my directors, filmmakers, my team and most importantly, my audience. I am always driven to deliver my best to the audience, and their response keeps me motivated.

And, who according to you, is the most desirable man in Bollywood?
Well, everyone has a desirable personality. But, I think Shah Rukh Khan leads the game, undoubtedly.

As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 22, 2019)

As a child I was very shy. I didn’t talk to people because I didn’t know what to say. So, I didn’t have any friends till I was 15. Since I was such an introvert I had never imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that I would become a model and actress one day. Maybe I was destined to reach for the stars, but I admit, deep down I’m still a shy girl.

My mom wanted to see me wearing the Miss India crown someday. She loved watching beautiful girls sashaying down the ramp wearing their winner sash and crown, and nurtured a similar dream for me. So, I entered the Miss India beauty contest (right) from Indore just to fulfill her dream.

Soon after, I shifted to Mumbai from Bareilly, hoping I could make it at least as a model but uncertain about pulling off this ambition. To my surprise, after just 10 days of moving to the Maximum City, I landed my first big break when I was signed to advertise a hair colour. I just couldn’t believe that I was going to be the face of such a big brand. Within days my posters and hoardings were up, all over the city, and like a kid, I would sit in front of the TV screen for hours watching my commercial play.

Of course, as you do more ads, the initial excitement fades away. I went on to promote everything—from chocolates and skin creams to clothing brands. My family was happy that I was doing something worthwhile in Mumbai and not wasting my time. They were always egging me on to accept more assignments. They had taken a big gamble sending me to a new and unfamiliar city. We didn’t know a single person in Mumbai and that added to their anxiety. So, to see me accepted in the advertising world was a big high for them.

However, because of my hectic schedule, I had to drop out when I was in the second year of college. That was a downer for my academically inclined family. My father is in the police force while my mother is in the medical field. My sister, Khushboo, is in the army. In the beginning they had expected me to pursue something similar, but seeing that I was artistically inclined, they trusted me enough to let me take up modelling and acting as a fulltime profession.

While I was working as a model, I would audition for films. I also enrolled for dance and martial arts classes to learn the essential attributes of an actress and improve my skills as a performer. In 2015, I landed a Telugu film, Loafer, opposite Varun Tej. The following year, I bagged my first Hindi film, M S Dhoni - The Untold Story. I played Priyanka, MSD’s first love who died in a tragic accident. To my delight, my performance was accepted. The same year, my single with Tiger Shroff, Befikra, also released. Since then, I have been lucky, I’m getting a lot of interesting work. Acting is a job I absolutely love. It keeps me on my toes and is creatively challenging because no two films are the same.

This Eid, I have one of my biggest films coming out, Atul Agnihotri and Bhushan Kumar’s period drama, Bharat. The Ali Abbas Zafar directorial features Salman Khan as the protagonist, and through his journey he mirrors the history of the country. I play a trapeze artiste.

There’s also Mohit Suri’s thriller, Malang, which I’m currently shooting for. In this film, every character has shades of gray and the story is full of unexpected turns. Life sure is unpredictable and fun.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 28, 2018)

She’s been in the news for always being by the side of Tiger Shroff. With Baaghi 2, their popular pairing has caught the eye of fans and created quite a buzz. She had auditioned for Tiger’s Baaghi back in 2015, but the role went to Shraddha Kapoor. Her brief performances in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu Yoga have kept her in the spotlight. But life’s come a full circle for Disha Patani. She doesn’t rue the missed opportunities nor the struggle from the past. Speaking to BT, she emphasises the need to stay positive, be confident, make great cinema and match kicks with her highflying best friend Tiger. Excerpts…

Your director Ahmed Khan revealed that you have a strong role in Baaghi 2. How would you describe the part?
My character’s life has two phases: one in college where she’s a rebel in her own way and the second half sees her as a changed woman. It’s a layered and well-written character. Even the romance in the film is not usual and that makes it a tricky thing to portray. Imagine that you love someone and you can’t show that. Our director Ahmed Khan knew what he wanted and, he’d even enact scenes for us to ensure we get our expressions bang on. There’s a certain awkwardness when you meet an ex or bump into someone you knew, but haven’t spoken to in a long time. Ahmed sir taught us to portray that without overdoing or underplaying it.

Did Baaghi 2 require you to match Tiger Shroff’s kicks and punches?
Honestly, my routine includes gymnastics, dance and gym workouts. There’s nothing different I did for the film; I just stuck to my routine.

You’ve waited a long time to play the lead in a Hindi film. A long time ago, Karan Johar had considered launching you. You had even auditioned for Baaghi, but it didn’t work out. We saw you in smaller roles in films like M S Dhoni - The Untold Story and Kung Fu Yoga…
These experiences helped me become a better actor. I don’t have a background in acting. I’m a shy, socially awkward girl and there was no way I would have become an actor. When I came to Mumbai, I must have gone through a thousand auditions for commercials, which helped me get over my inhibitions. Sometimes, you wonder why some things happen, but trust me, it’s all for a reason. I am a positive person and I always told myself that I was probably too young for the opportunities that I lost. Maybe it was God’s way of telling me that I was not fully prepared for them. Today, I am proud of all the work I have done. I could have chosen films where I merely had to look good, but I wanted people to take me seriously as an actor. I wanted producers to see me as an artiste and not just a decked-up doll. I think I’ve succeeded in doing that, to an extent. I’m a selfish actor and I am concerned about what I bring to a film. Sajid Nadiadwala (producer) had seen my screen test for Baaghi and maybe that is the reason he called me for the sequel. You can never force anyone to cast you. They are the makers and they should be convinced that an actor can pull off their vision. Sajid sir is the boss and he knows what works best for his projects.

How did you cope with the struggle of getting a break in Bollywood?
I don’t overthink or obsess about one thing too much. If I do that, I’ll become negative and unhappy. I come from a simple family. My sister is in the army and my father is a cop. It was my dream to become an Air Force pilot. I was pursuing B.Tech, but I didn’t see it through. I was a studious kid who left academics and started modelling. Had I thought too much about all this, I wouldn’t have been here. During my early days in Mumbai, when I didn’t know people or have enough money, I just used to pack my lunch and leave home every day in the hope to get work. I’m lucky to have landed such good opportunities. Sajid sir is a fantastic producer to work with and he has given me this chance to display my potential.

Why did you drop out of B.Tech? Modelling could have waited, no?
I always wanted to be independent. Modelling and acting were not my aim back then, but at the same time, I didn’t want to ask my family for money. As for the dream of flying, I still want to do it — I guess I will need training and flying experience.

How did your family react to your choice of career?
They were not happy about my sister signing up for the army, because it’s an extremely demanding job. My mother was happy with my decision because when she was young, she wanted to participate in a pageant which didn’t happen. Perhaps, she could fulfill her dream through me. My father wasn’t against my decision, but he was apprehensive because I was a girl and I had never travelled alone beyond Noida. And here I was in Mumbai, living alone and finding my way in an unfamiliar industry. Today, my family is proud and happy with my achievements. They feel happy to see me on screen even if it is for five seconds. My father always reacts with just one word, ‘Zabardast!’ We don’t have long chats about my profession.

Bollywood is not an easy industry, especially when you don’t have a godfather…
(Cuts in) My sister’s job is so much tougher. She’s an engineer in the army; she has undergone gruelling training for a year in Chennai. She loved her long hair and she’s had to sacrifice that. You have to be strong to sail through that. When I look at her, I feel my journey isn’t difficult at all. Mulling over your job will only make you unhappy. I am glad that at a time when many girls are trying to find inroads into Bollywood, I have already bagged good opportunities.

In the two years that you’ve been working, why have you taken on such limited work?
Looking good, being in commercials and on magazine covers is not my priority. My aim is to be an actor first and look like the character I am playing. I have a natural tendency to opt for characters that need me to push myself hard. I like to have lots of emotions to portray on screen. I am not against an out-and-out commercial film, if it has a strong role for me. In fact, it’s tough for someone like me to be the quintessential commercial heroine. Getting those expressions and nakhras is not easy. I am a tomboy and I have never had any nakhras in life. Ahmed sir (director Ahmed Khan) had to enact those nakhras for me to get them right.

With so many new actresses cropping up, the competition must be intense?
Right now, I cannot watch myself on screen. I am still trying to like myself a little more. In fact, I haven’t even seen M S Dhoni - The Untold Story. Everyone has their own presence on screen and it’s good to have so much variety and healthy competition. I like it when girls end up shouldering films.

With so many women-centric films in the offing, is it a good time to be an actress?
It’s sad that we have to say girls are being given strong roles and equal chances to prove their worth. By saying that, aren’t we turning them into a minority? There is no woman or man-oriented film. Films are all about stories and characters, which could be men or women. As a concept, women-oriented films don’t appeal to me. People didn’t make a noise about such things decades ago, when actresses like Nargis Dutt did Mother India. I think we make too much heavy weather out of a common practice. Women have been portraying strong roles in the movies for years. I like what Priyanka Chopra once said, ‘You can always make a film with someone who has commercial following. It could be anyone.’

Do you have any friends in the industry, other than Tiger Shroff?
I don’t have friends here, as I don’t get a chance to meet people. I don’t feel like going out after all the activities I do in a day. I feel drained out and can’t keep my eyes open for an event or a party that starts at 11 pm. I’d rather invest on making myself a better artiste. Anyway, I am shy and I don’t know how to talk to people, but I am happy the way I am. As for Tiger, he’s an inspiring co-star. When we started working together, I thought it would be difficult to enact emotional scenes. I thought we would burst out laughing, but the sets of Baaghi 2 had a different sort of junoon. Tiger and I connect well and we could improvise our scenes effortlessly.

There’s a lot of speculation around the relationship you share with Tiger...
He’s my only friend in Mumbai. We both like to dance and work out. He’s a thousand times better than me at both, but we connect through them. I am hanging out with him all the time, perhaps that’s why we get spotted together everywhere. So, people probably feel that we’re in a relationship. We’re friends and there is nothing more to the story. If I hang out with another guy, probably, people will say I left Tiger for him.