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‘I WAS BURNING OUT, TOOK A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO SLOW DOWN’
YAN SATHI RAN, ASEKA GNAN
With a track record of at least two films a year, Sonakshi Sinha has been working non-stop since she made her acting debut in 2010 with Dabangg. And that’s why the actor has now made a decision to “slow down” in her career.
“It was a very conscious decision,” she continues, “I realised, at some point, I was burning out. I had literally no time for myself. I started putting on weight because I couldn’t find time to work out, and was just working and working. That’s why you have to keep yourself happy, and spend more time on yourself.”
The 33-year-old, who has been a part of a variety of films over the years, such as Rowdy Rathore (2012), Lootera (2013) and Mission Mangal (2019), adds that being overworked had a serious impact on her.
“I am a workaholic, I just love working. When I was doing that (working non-stop) too, I was enjoying it. But I realised that I was getting tired and cranky. I wasn’t able to find time to paint, or even go to the gym, and these things are very important for your personal growth. That’s when I thought you should do one thing at a time — enjoy work and your personal life as well. I have been happier since!” she maintains.
Last year was originally supposed to see the release of her film Bhuj: The Pride of India, in which she stars alongside Ajay Devgn. But, owing to the pandemic it was put on hold and will now release on an OTT platform. What’s currently keeping Sinha busy is s her web debut, with a series directed by Reema Kagti.
On what prompted her to finally make the move to the OTT space, she explains, “I’ve never really strategised what I am going to do next. I think very instinctively, from the heart. So, when Zoya (Akhtar) and Reema approached me with the script of the series, I was completely blown. I was in a place where I was not signing anything. I was not enjoying anything, nothing was resonating with me. I heard this, and I was like, ‘I have to do this’. It was as simple a process as that for me. If I like it, I will do it.”
was not able to find time to paint, or even go to the gym.
SONAKSHI SINHA,
OTT doesn’t give us the joy of box office but it takes our films
to a world-wide audience.
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The boom that the web space witnessed last year, owing to the pandemic, was unprecedented. Actor Aparshakti Khurana admits he never saw this coming, but he feels that OTT platforms are here to stay.
“There’s always going to be a never-ending debate on OTT vs theatres. But that was the same case when satellite TV was launched. People were like, ‘Ab film dekhne theatre kaun jayega’. We all know the situation... both the mediums survived. There are few TV channels
Comic Chris D’Elia, whois accused of sexually exploiting andsoliciting pornography fromminors, faces anewlawsuit, this time froma17-year-old. Hehasdeniedthe allegations. that are still giving good content, while some have become corrupt,” notes the 33-year-old.
Khurana, however, fears that the case of too much might engulf OTT in the future. “TV mein toh aisa hua hi hai. I hope OTTs don’t become corrupt and redundant. I hope they don’t fade out; we don’t want too much of it,” he adds.
For the time being, the Stree (2018) actor is making the most of this new opportunity, and is doing a period drama series for a leading platform. “As an actor and as an audience, I’ve tried to keep myself as organic as possible. All of us are suckers for good content, chahe kisi bhi form mein ho. Good content will always work. I’m happy to see a paradigm shift in the way we see films and it’s exciting for the audience and the artiste as well,” he tells us.
While Khurana agrees that films in theatres will always draw crowds, he is quick to point that now, film buffs wouldn’t settle for just about anything. “I’m glad we have good content on OTT, like Scam 1992 just blew things off. It was such a treat to watch. OTT is here to stay, but cinemas would always be cinemas. I’m not saying it as a film actor; an actor will always be an actor. I also did a web film called Kanpuriye. But yes, theatrical films would have to up their game with good content,” he concludes.