There was a lot of hype and hoopla about her launch with Ranbir Kapoor in Besharam (2013), but with the film's box-office failure, her career fizzled out, too. However, Pallavi Sharda, a nonresident Indian who wanted to make a mark in Bollywood, didn't give up easily. In an exclusive chat with BT, she talks about her role as Gulabo in Srijit Mukherji's Begum Jaan. Excerpts...

Your beginning in Bollywood was rather bumpy. It hasn't been an easy ride for you. Do you think Begum Jaan will change the course of your career in Bollywood?
I didn't see it in that manner when I signed the film because I was working overseas when Srijit contacted me. I had an interesting kitty of indie and non-indie films, but there was something special about Begum Jaan. It's only after seeing the trailer that I realised that it is larger than life. It is very rare to see something transcending the script on screen. And that for me, is a fulfilling experience.

The film conveys a strong message...
It is about dignity, which women don't assert, fearing backlash from patriarchy. When you say 'my rules' in the context of India, patriarchy comes in - whose rules are they? It is a complex matter. I am still trying to understand how the conversation on self-determination can be taken forward. But I think aspiration is a great word and that's what women in this film stand for. Many young women who hail from less fortunate backgrounds don't have aspiration and that makes me sad.

Does the movie reiterate the idea that in reality, there is no country for women?
They are marginalised everywhere...We have had a male-dominated government and bureaucracy for the longest time and it's still a reality. Somebody recently asked me, 'Is feminism an overused word?' I said, 'We have the responsibility of keeping the flag flying high even if the word is taken out of context at times; we cannot be complacent'. Women's liberation started in the 1920s, which means we are only a hundred years into fighting for our right to equality. So for me, it highlights something which was and is still a reality.

Let's rewind a little and talk about your first lead role in Besharam. How did you deal with the film's failure?
I was not prepared for the business of cinema. My aspiration was to be a Bollywood actress and it's sheer determination and self-belief that has brought me here. I had no mentors. Even before Besharam happened, I was doing a musical and two plays. Then, I was cast in a film with Ranbir Kapoor. My director told me to leave everything else and concentrate on the film, because we were pandering to the business of cinema and the system of Bollywood. That changed the course of who I was as an actor, albeit for a short while. But after Hawaizaada (2015), I went to back to who I was. I am an actor and I am not necessarily here to work within a system... attend functions and dress a certain way because XYZ will see me and cast me. I don't understand that way of thinking. I come from a background where work begets work. It's been over three years and people haven't been able to get over my association with Besharam; I feel proud about it. But I don't think anyone else associated with the film gets asked about its failure as much as I do. That's a little unfair. I had to bear the brunt of Besharam a lot more than the others. After the film released, the media was very scathing. They even cast aspersions about why I got the role. While I was in New York, the media here wrote that I was spotted with the film's director in a Lokhandwala cafe. It was heartbreaking. But despite that, I did bag Hawaizaada and then Begum Jaan on my own merit.

Was it daunting for you to come to Mumbai and make a mark on your own?
I was optimistic and had self-belief. It got daunting only when I realised the reality of how difficult it is. I have lined up with hundreds of aspirants for auditions. Some of my friends and contemporaries cannot believe the kind of stories that I share about my earlier days because a lot of them haven't experienced that. I have turned up at a press conference pretending to be a journalist just to speak to a filmmaker. I would wake up in the morning and ask myself, 'What are you going to do today to make this happen?' Waking up in that state of mind for years together is hard. I have done it the hard way, so I am very comfortable in my skin today.

Do you think being an opinionated actress in Bollywood is a disadvantage?
I was 20 years old when I came here and people advised me not to tell anyone that I was a law graduate. Though I was very confident when I came here, I suddenly became unsure of myself. I am glad I went through that because it helped me realise who I am. There was an attempt to Bollywoodise me, but I resisted it. Maybe I have done a disservice to myself career wise. I guess my life would have been different if I had been malleable, but I am not. I don't want to try and please people. I have been told to keep quiet as I have not established myself, but if my process is not authentic, then my output will not be authentic either.

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 km off the southeast coast of Africa. Beautiful beaches, diverse culture and delectable cuisine are its attractions. Actress Pallavi Sharda, who will be seen in Srijit Mukherji's period-drama, Begum Jaan, informs what should be on every tourist's checklist in Mauritius.


Feels like home
I have been to Mauritius twice, the latest trip being last November. I love its orange-tinted skies, lush wilderness and the warmth of the locals. I am a beach bum, born in Perth which sits on the Indian Ocean, so in a way it felt like going home. I love the clear waters of the ocean. I've been lucky to have stayed both on the eastern and the western coasts and up the Grand Bay. I love lying on a beach with a good book. In Mauritius the shallow water is so clear that the ocean feels like your own swimming pool.

Cruising on a boat, sunbathing on the deck, mesmerised by the view you feel you're in paradise. Don't forget the bikini or bathing suit, sunscreen and summer hat, a sarong and flip flops.

Underwater adventures
On my last trip I went ocean-walking. This involves strapping weights on your body and a glass globe to your head through which you can see the underwater life. It was scary at first but soon turned out to be a lot of fun.

The man who was running my catamaran when I went ocean walking was called Pascale. Safety is really important when you are trying out these underwater activities. He always made sure I was secure and confident as the weights were attached to me. He was a wonderful and warm person who treated me like a daughter. I will go back to meet him whenever I am in Mauritius next.

Yoga studios and customised spas
For those looking for peace there are numerous yoga studios around the island. You can also treat yourself to a massage in the beach front as you enjoy the view. For those who prefer privacy, there are spas along the coast that you can check into. Everything from the oils to the lighting is decided by you. They offer customised packages.

For those who want to see the entire island without taking a road or sea trip, there's a helicopter tour. The pilots cruise low over the island's reef, allowing you to look at the corals before taking off for the hilly areas. The island is gorgeous and this is definitely a must-do.


Dive bars, island beats
The local dive bars are a blast. I love dancing and let loose to reggae and island beats. That's one of the happiest things to do when in Mauritius.

I found an amazing swimwear store in Port Louis. I must have bought 10 bathing suits. Shopaholics, check out the area.

I binged on freshly-caught sea food in a French-inspired restaurant. Good wine complemented the meals.

French connection
Most people in Mauritius speak and understand French so language was not a barrier since I speak fluent French. Locals were shocked when they realised that I'm not from the island.

The most fascinating part of the island is the seamless integration of so many languages and cultures into one. It's incredible to catch glimpses of Indian heritage and see how they have globalised the cuisine of their ancestors and turned it into something new. The melange of French, Creole, Bhojpuri and Hindi is incredible! The people have a sense of belonging to the land which is hard to believe since until a few centuries ago, Mauritius was completely uninhabited except for the Dodo. The now-extinct flightless bird is endemic to the island.

Mirror (February 6) was the first to report about Vidya Balan taking on the role of the madam of a brothel in Begum Jaan, the Hindi adaptation of National Award-winning filmmaker Srijit Mukherji's Bengali film, Rajkahini.

Now, Mirror has learnt that Hawaizaada actresses Pallavi Sharda and Priyanka Sethia, ex-Bigg Boss winner Gauahar Khan, Dhanak actress Flora Saini, TV actress Ridhima Tiwari, Ravija Chauhan and Poonam Rajput have been cast as the prostitutes living in the brothel. “The characters are set in the Partition era and have faced a lot of adversities in life, so I wanted actors who could understand the emotions, pain and the never-say-die attitude. These girls fit the roles perfectly,“ confirms Srijit, who's making his Bollywood debut with the Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt-produced adaptation and adds that he was looking for a mix of theatre, television and film actors.

The film delves into the lives of 11 women living in a brothel that finds itself divided by the newly-chalked LOC, with half of the house in India and the other half in Pakistan postPartition.

And Srijit has already begun prepping up with his actors. “I have been doing workshops with them since a month and have recommended to them books on partition by authors like Urvashi Butalia, Suvir Kaul and Joya Chatterji. Besides, we have also been discussing the back-stories of their characters so they understand them better. Some of them are watching Rajkahini as well,“ reveals the director.

Veteran actress-singer Ila Arun and Kaanchi debutante Mishti feature in the film, as well. “They don't play prostitutes but Ila ji plays a character that ends up at the brothel seeking refuge and grows into a mother figure to the other inmates over time. Mishti arrives there for the same reason,“ adds Srijit who prefers not to reveal much about his male cast, which includes Rajit Kapoor, Vivek Mushran, Rajesh Sharma, Pitobash, Ashish Vidyarthi and Sumit Nijhawan. “While some play bureaucrats or police officers, others will be seen as a pimp or gate-keeper,“ he says, adding that the film rolls mid-June and will be shot in Jharkhand, Punjab and Delhi. “I have a team of warriors,“ he guffaws.

Dia Mirza is no flower child but she chose flowers as the theme for her wedding to filmmaker Sahil Sangha. The Bollywood couple got married at a farmhouse in Ghitorni in New Delhi on Saturday, in the presence of family and a few close friends.

For their sangeet, a day earlier, the place was done up with sweet-smelling rajnigandha. The next day, when the nuptials took place, the same farmhouse was bedecked in lilies and orchids as peach-and-white furnishings, chandeliers, crystals and candles added to the regalia.

Dia, who has been in a relationship with Sahil for over four years, was every inch the resplendent bride, beaming away in a beige-and-green designer sharara. The groom, equally ecstatic, looked dapper in a white sherwani. Sahil arrived in a horsedrawn carriage and his baaraatis spent a good one hour dancing to band-baaja at the farm entrance. The couple solemnised their wedding by Arya Samaj rites. We hear, while the wedding vows were being read out and the priest said, “Jald putra ho”, Dia interrupted him and said, “Putri ho.” Being foodies themselves, the two made sure that the wedding spread was the best. Delicious kebabs and assorted starters were served during the ceremony. The menu for the reception that followed was a lip-smacking mix of specialities from Hyderabad, Lucknow, Avadh and Coastal India with a huge spread of Bengali desserts.

Rajkumar Hirani, Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi, Sushmita Sen, Roshan Seth, Nikhil Advani, Aditi Rao Hydari, Pallavi Sharda and Cyrus Sahukar attended the wedding.