YOUR DECISIONS NEED TO BE YOUR OWN: SARA

Actor Sara Ali Khan says choosing a film is her job and she will trust her own instincts when doing so

Confident, smart and witty — Sara Ali Khan, the daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, is all this and more. And the debutante is rapidly gaining a foothold in Bollywood. Her first film Kedarnath, co-starring Sushant Singh Rajput, released yesterday and most reviews are particularly raving about her good performance. In her next, a Rohit Shetty film, she is paired with Ranveer Singh. Excerpts:

Was Kedarnath the first film offered to you? Tell us about the shooting experience.

This is the first film one was attached to, let’s just put it that way. It was incredible. Being a part of movies has always been a dream. It’s only after going on the set that one actually realises what it is I’ve been dreaming of. I think the character that writer Kanika [Dhillon] has written is just beautiful. Working with Sushant has been an outstanding experience because not only is he talented and a giving co-actor, but also a very helpful human being, so that is a huge privilege for me.

Did you take your parents’ advice before taking up the film?

Luckily, I have my parents’ support [always]. They knew about the film, and mom was with me during the narration. Let’s assume for the sake of conversation that they weren’t in support. After hearing Kedarnath, I couldn’t have not done it. It wasn’t even a choice. But [thankfully] they were on board.

Considering you’re fairly new in films, will you consult your parents for career decisions?

Had my mom not liked the narration of Kedarnath, I would have done it anyway, because I value my mother’s opinion a lot, but this is your job. You don’t want to be blaming anyone [else]. Your decisions need to be your own, especially in this line, when you can’t bet on anything… the fact of the matter remains, that nobody is really bankable and no idea is really bankable. If anything, I’m going to cultivate my own intuition further.

You have two big films releasing in the same month. Is there a sense of having ‘arrived’?

No, I don’t think so.

There’s excitement, because this is what I have always wanted. There’s enthusiasm and eagerness for people to watch it, but ‘arriving’ and all is not my prerogative, that will depend on how one is received. Even after that, in my mind, the minute I signed these films, I was as there as I will be once they come out. I don’t think that anything really changes.