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She is just six-films-old, but Anushka Sharma has already worked with four top directors of her choice. She speaks about why she is glad she didn't sign a Vishal Bhardwaj film earlier in her career and being cool treated like a regular guy by her male friends.
Ques: You have been very selective about your films.
Anushka: I got a lot of offers after Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and most of them were of small town girls, which was not different from my character Taani. They didn't excite me. I was very clear from day one. A lot of people came to me and advised me to sign lots of films. Six months after Rab Ne... I was sitting at home and it was obviously not easy, especially after you are launched in a big film as mine. And then Badmash Company happened and it was completely different and I just went with my instincts.
Ques: What is your yardstick for selecting a film?
Anushka: In my first film itself I got the chance to act opposite Shah Rukh Khan. There were only two characters in the film and it was a great role. What I know is that I can act. My directors have shown faith in me and offered me roles that require great performance. And that is what I am greedy about.
Ques: Critics feel you are playing very similar roles in your films.
Anushka: In our industry, we have the habit of creating categories out of nothing... Yeh actor hot type ka hai and yeh actor aise type ka hai. In six movies in four years, how different can I be? I agree that the genres have been similar - rom-coms or slice-of-life films. But I feel the only thing similar among them is that I have played a strong girl. I actually don't understand what is it that anybody is doing different except Priyanka, Kareena or Vidya. They have been around and have a body of work to show.
Ques: You've worked with four top directors in four years. How does it feel?
Anushka: After Band Baaja Baaraat, I had made a list of directors I wanted to work with and I have already worked with four of them - Yash Chopra, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap and Raju Hirani. The fact that these four directors envision me and I can fit into their world gives me lot of happiness. I wanted to work with Vishal ever since I saw Omkara. I am glad I did a film with him now and not at the beginning of my career, as I wouldn't have understood his characters. I have become less judgmental and more accepting with this experience.
Ques: Do you feel there is too much focus on your personal life as you have been linked to so many actors?
Anushka: Well, I guess there is nothing else to talk about since I am not doing anything wrong or saying anything against anyone. I am not creating controversy so people think let's link her up! Shahid, Arjun and Ranbir are all my friends and I do not know the difference between my male and female friends. I am pretty broad-minded and I am like any normal 24-year-old. These guys too treat me like a guy. If I had to hide anything I would do it inside my house, why go out with anyone in public?
Ques: You hardly have any female friends in the industry...
Anushka: I have but people don't link me with them, so the world doesn't know.
Ques: You are constantly linked with Ranveer Singh...
Anushka: Because we did back-to-back films and the first film was very successful. We were seen together during every award show sitting near each other but our entire crew was also there. Ranveer and I were never in a relation and I have always been single.
Ques: You have done a film with SRK and now with Aamir. When will we see you with Salman?
Anushka: I want to state that there was this whole episode about Sajid Nadiadwala's film and all that was rubbish. I have not been approached and I don't know why my name was dragged in. I would like to work with Salman but this is not the film. I have been simply pulled into this whole tamasha.
Ques: You have been very selective about your films.
Anushka: I got a lot of offers after Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and most of them were of small town girls, which was not different from my character Taani. They didn't excite me. I was very clear from day one. A lot of people came to me and advised me to sign lots of films. Six months after Rab Ne... I was sitting at home and it was obviously not easy, especially after you are launched in a big film as mine. And then Badmash Company happened and it was completely different and I just went with my instincts.
Ques: What is your yardstick for selecting a film?
Anushka: In my first film itself I got the chance to act opposite Shah Rukh Khan. There were only two characters in the film and it was a great role. What I know is that I can act. My directors have shown faith in me and offered me roles that require great performance. And that is what I am greedy about.
Ques: Critics feel you are playing very similar roles in your films.
Anushka: In our industry, we have the habit of creating categories out of nothing... Yeh actor hot type ka hai and yeh actor aise type ka hai. In six movies in four years, how different can I be? I agree that the genres have been similar - rom-coms or slice-of-life films. But I feel the only thing similar among them is that I have played a strong girl. I actually don't understand what is it that anybody is doing different except Priyanka, Kareena or Vidya. They have been around and have a body of work to show.
Ques: You've worked with four top directors in four years. How does it feel?
Anushka: After Band Baaja Baaraat, I had made a list of directors I wanted to work with and I have already worked with four of them - Yash Chopra, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap and Raju Hirani. The fact that these four directors envision me and I can fit into their world gives me lot of happiness. I wanted to work with Vishal ever since I saw Omkara. I am glad I did a film with him now and not at the beginning of my career, as I wouldn't have understood his characters. I have become less judgmental and more accepting with this experience.
Ques: Do you feel there is too much focus on your personal life as you have been linked to so many actors?
Anushka: Well, I guess there is nothing else to talk about since I am not doing anything wrong or saying anything against anyone. I am not creating controversy so people think let's link her up! Shahid, Arjun and Ranbir are all my friends and I do not know the difference between my male and female friends. I am pretty broad-minded and I am like any normal 24-year-old. These guys too treat me like a guy. If I had to hide anything I would do it inside my house, why go out with anyone in public?
Ques: You hardly have any female friends in the industry...
Anushka: I have but people don't link me with them, so the world doesn't know.
Ques: You are constantly linked with Ranveer Singh...
Anushka: Because we did back-to-back films and the first film was very successful. We were seen together during every award show sitting near each other but our entire crew was also there. Ranveer and I were never in a relation and I have always been single.
Ques: You have done a film with SRK and now with Aamir. When will we see you with Salman?
Anushka: I want to state that there was this whole episode about Sajid Nadiadwala's film and all that was rubbish. I have not been approached and I don't know why my name was dragged in. I would like to work with Salman but this is not the film. I have been simply pulled into this whole tamasha.
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