Birthdays are overrated: Athiya Shetty

I am not a party person at all. For me, spending time with family or meeting my friends for a quiet dinner is the best way to ring in my birthday.

ACTOR

Athiya Shetty is currently in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, shooting for her next film with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actor will be stationed there until the end of the month. So, Athiya who turns a year older today, will have a working birthday this time around.

“It’s my first time in Bhopal and I’m loving it here. Its so green and clean and the food is amazing. It’s going to be a working birthday this year, and I am extremely excited about spending the day on set. I have always wanted to work on my birthday and every year I try and do something involving work. So, this year I am only going to be working and I hope that is lucky for me. Over the years, I have realised that I am happiest when I am on the set. I think it makes me feel at home. Being in front of the camera is my happy space. I had the option of taking a day off and coming to Mumbai but I chose to stay here,” she says.

When in Mumbai, Athiya usually spends her birthday with family and friends. Her mother, Mana Shetty, runs an NGO, so she heads there to spend some time and have lunch with the kids, every birthday. Otherwise, it’s pretty much low key, she explains. “I am not a party person at all. For me, spending time with family or meeting my friends for a quiet dinner is the best way to ring in my birthday. I have never liked birthdays and it’s so overrated. It’s too much pressure to be constantly happy and do certain things, so I don’t like the concept of celebrating birthdays as such. My mum runs an NGO so I usually spend time there so this year, I’m gonna miss that ritual”.

Athiya made her debut with Hero (2015) opposite Sooraj Pancholi and while debut films are usually memorable, she says that this has stayed with her for more reasons than one. “I remember, on my 18th birthday, I got my first narration of Hero. That was quite memorable and it was very special because I had my first narration on my birthday.” And that was the best gift, says Athiya, as she explains she is not into birthday presents either. “I am not really a materialistic person so I don’t look forward to gifts. If I’m happy and I’m at peace, it is automatically a great birthday. Gifts and presents don’t excite me”, she concludes.