‘Kriti does not recommend me to anyone in B’wood’
As Nupur Sanon prepares to enter the world of films, she shares some insights into her upbringing and what it was like growing up as Kriti Sanon’s little sister
Kriti Sanon’s sister Nupur is all set to debut on the big screen. She realized her potential to act and sing during her school days, and, after a two-year wait, she seems to have got her ticket to Bollywood with the chartbuster music video Filhaal, in which she features with Akshay Kumar.
Excerpts from an interview:
HAVING WORKED WITH AKSHAY KUMAR IN FILHAAL, THERE WILL BE NO LOOKING BACK FOR NUPUR SANON!
That is so true. I waited a lot. A lot of people asked why, being Kriti’s sister, I was starting my career with a video. I just wanted to forge my own path.
YOUR DAD IS FROM A FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AND YOUR MOM BELONGS TO THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. HOW DID YOU TWO SISTERS CHOOSE THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR WORLD AS A PROFESSION?
My mom was surprised when Kriti started her film journey, and it was the same in my case. She keeps saying, “we fail to understand where these genes have come from in you both.” My mother has done her Ph.D. She is also very beautiful. She must be having a little bit of talent for performing, I feel. My father is very handsome too.”
WHAT QUALITIES OF YOUR PARENTS HAVE YOU AND KRITI IMBIBED?
Both of us have taken the quality of independence, of working and earning for ourselves, from our mother. We know that to evolve, we need to make best use of our brains. My mother is a feminist and so are we. The true meaning of feminism for all of us is a belief in equality. Also, Mom will not follow any rituals blindly. She wants to know the reason behind them. Kriti and I have imbibed this from her.
Kriti has inherited more of dad’s qualities. She is calm and very sincere. She has a lot of patience, which she gets from Dad. She has taken after him a bit in looks too, though we both have gummy smiles.
DO YOU FIGHT OVER CLOTHES?
Yes indeed! I would wear all her clothes on the sly. Kriti is very sincere. Whenever our house help put her clothes in my closet by mistake, Kriti would return them. Unlike her, however, I would wear all her clothes and just say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know these were your clothes. and call on my acting capacities to carry it off [smiles]. I guess all younger sisters are like that!
SO, ARE YOU A SPOILT BRAT?
I wouldn’t say I am spoilt! My mom is a teacher, so no one can get spoilt. But yes, I was very protected. If they thought I was making the wrong decision, my folks would guide me and teach me.
SINCE YOUR SISTER IS IN THE INDUSTRY, HOW MUCH DOES SHE GUIDE YOU?
I always look up to my sister as a person. Kriti has been in the industry for 7 to 8 years but she has not changed at all. She is just the same. I have got indirect lessons from her. You need to have basic values but at the same time be yourself and evolve. Your roots need not change. I’m frank as a person, but being on public platforms your unfiltered quotes can harm you. Kriti’s advice to me is – ‘Be yourself. But there needs to be a blend.’
“MY MOM WAS SURPRISED WHEN KRITI STARTED HER FILM JOURNEY, AND IT WAS THE SAME IN MY CASE. SHE KEEPS SAYING, ‘WE FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE GENES HAVE COME FROM IN YOU BOTH.’ MY MOTHER HAS DONE HER PH.D. SHE’S VERY BEAUTIFUL. MY FATHER IS VERY HANDSOME TOO.”
“KRITI HAS BEEN IN
THE INDUSTRY FOR 7 TO 8 YEARS. I HAVE
GOT INDIRECT
LESSONS FROM HER.
I’M FRANK AS A PERSON, BUT BEING ON PUBLIC PLATFORMS YOUR UNFILTERED QUOTES CAN HARM YOU. KRITI’S ADVICE TO ME IS – ‘BE YOURSELF. BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BLEND.’’
ANY SIBLING RIVALRY?
Kriti is one person who will always want good things to happen in my life. She will sacrifice for me. She is such a good person. It depends on your upbringing. Our parents treated us both equally. I feel those who try to compare siblings are not doing a good thing. To me, that seems to be petty. Having said that, negativity does seep into the minds of some girls, but that is not the case with us sisters. We have no sibling rivalry at all.
DOES KRITI RECOMMEND YOU FOR WORK IN BOLLYWOOD?
Kriti does not recommend me to anyone in Bollywood. She is making her own mark now. Of course, she informs me about certain new projects, and definitely guides me on how to approach them. We don’t have any producers or directors in the family who can spend `50 crore to launch me. If there was, I wouldn’t have had to wait for two years.