‘Our audiences are more evolved than our industry’

Anushka Sharma feels realistic cinema has come into its own, thanks to viewers

Monika Rawal Kukreja

In her decade-long career in Bollywood, actor Anushka Sharma has often pushed the envelope, with films such as NH 10 (2015), Sultan, (2016) and Pari (2018). Her latest release, Sui Dhaaga – Made in India, saw her playing a small-town woman. Anushka tells us why ‘niche’ and ‘commercial’ are subjective terms, and why doing ‘realistic’ films is the need of the hour.

Is it a big deal when an actor goes deglam onscreen?

Sui Dhaaga is a commercial film, which has a huge appeal. But at the same time, the world we show is extremely realistic. So suddenly, Varun (Dhawan, her co-star) and I can’t look like we are out of that world. That’s the demand of cinema today; you must do what’s required of your character.

Are realistic films, too, getting equal space as commercial ones?

Nothing has to be done with any agenda. I think with the kind of filmmakers we have in this industry and the talent in the country, everyone is trying to do interesting roles and realistic films. You do have your larger-than-life films, but then there’s also this [other] lot of cinema that works. Films such as Dangal, which did the kind of business they did, are in the realistic space.

Are actors more evolved?

I think it’s the audience that is quite a bit more evolved than our industry. I feel somewhere they’re always the driving force behind the change you see in the films.

What about those who felt Sui Dhaaga is for a niche audience?

We’re talking about a country of 1.3 billion people. If two people are saying that [they find it niche], we can’t ignore what others are saying. But if two people have said this, it’s fair for them to feel this way.

Are these preconceived notions?

You see, when Raazi and Stree released, people would’ve said the same thing — that they’re niche films. On the face of it, these films are like that; and a lot of times, films that are typically commercial don’t even make the business that these films end up making.

You’ve worked with the Khans as well as younger actors. Have you learned something in every case?

I believe you should never feel like you know enough. It’s always nice to learn. That’s how our senior actors are; similarly, we’d also like to be.

I think with the kind of filmmakers we have in this industry and the talent in the country, everyone is trying to do interesting roles and realistic films. You do have your largerthanlife films, but then there’s this [other] lot of cinema that works. ANUSHKA SHARMA, ACTOR

PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH