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What makes Anushka Sharma tick, and what doesn't
By
, ET Bureau|Malini Goyal
Updated: Dec 18, 2016, 01.22 AM IST
Let's be fair. Anushka Sharma, 28, isn't really the most desirable in Bollywood. Not on beauty. A certain Katrina Kaif is easily ahead in that race.
Not on salary. A sizzling Deepika Padukone is today Bollywood's highest paid actress.
She's not the highest on buzz. A svelte Priyanka Chopra wrests that title fair and square, with a presence in Hollywood, a Padma Shri and a spot on the Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2016; for good measure, she's also a Unicef goodwill ambassador. Also, in an industry that loves its own, where DNA and surnames matter, Anushka has neither to get some automatic attention.
Yet, she gets her fair share. A bit of it could have been for being the lady love of India's hottest sportsperson Virat Kohli in a country obsessed with Bollywood and cricket. Trolled aggressively earlier this year, Kohli's tweet supporting Anushka " "Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity" " has been declared the Golden Tweet of 2016.
Not on salary. A sizzling Deepika Padukone is today Bollywood's highest paid actress.
She's not the highest on buzz. A svelte Priyanka Chopra wrests that title fair and square, with a presence in Hollywood, a Padma Shri and a spot on the Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2016; for good measure, she's also a Unicef goodwill ambassador. Also, in an industry that loves its own, where DNA and surnames matter, Anushka has neither to get some automatic attention.
Yet, she gets her fair share. A bit of it could have been for being the lady love of India's hottest sportsperson Virat Kohli in a country obsessed with Bollywood and cricket. Trolled aggressively earlier this year, Kohli's tweet supporting Anushka " "Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity" " has been declared the Golden Tweet of 2016.
Yet she's hardly riding on Kohli's glory, having tasted dollops of success on her own. Two of her films, Sultan (the top grosser this year at Rs 585 crore worldwide) and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (or ADHM that grossed Rs 237.8 crore) are among the top five biggest Bollywood hits of 2016. In fact PK (ranked 1st) and Sultan (ranked 4th) are among the top five most commercially successful films in Bollywood history.
A bit of that success could be attributed to being in the right place at the right time. After all, how many actors " fresh, young and unknown like Anushka was in 2008 " get a dream Bollywood debut with a film like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with Shah Rukh Khan as costar.
A bit of that success could be attributed to being in the right place at the right time. After all, how many actors " fresh, young and unknown like Anushka was in 2008 " get a dream Bollywood debut with a film like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with Shah Rukh Khan as costar.
But commercial success alone does not set Anushka apart. What does is how she actively built a career on that break, deciding which films to star in, and which ones to pass. Onto her third film with Shah Rukh now (under production, called The Ring), she is one of the few Bollywood actresses who has worked with all the three Khans (Aamir and Salman the other two).
She has worked with most of Bollywood's top producers and directors, from Aditya Chopra to Rajkumar Hirani, Vishal Bhardwaj to Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar to Karan Johar.
And then there are those offers she let go. Like Imtiaz Ali's Tamasha (which Deepika accepted), R Balki's Ki & Ka (Kareena Kapoor Khan), Karan Johar's Two States (Alia Bhatt).
For an up-and-comer to decline such offers would surely call for courage and conviction. An outspoken Anushka isn't short on either. "Sometimes it was the script or the role or simply that one was trying to create a range for oneself... To me success means to be able to do things on my own terms," she says.
She has worked with most of Bollywood's top producers and directors, from Aditya Chopra to Rajkumar Hirani, Vishal Bhardwaj to Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar to Karan Johar.
And then there are those offers she let go. Like Imtiaz Ali's Tamasha (which Deepika accepted), R Balki's Ki & Ka (Kareena Kapoor Khan), Karan Johar's Two States (Alia Bhatt).
For an up-and-comer to decline such offers would surely call for courage and conviction. An outspoken Anushka isn't short on either. "Sometimes it was the script or the role or simply that one was trying to create a range for oneself... To me success means to be able to do things on my own terms," she says.
She is ambitious too. In 2014, at the peak of her career she launched her production house Clean Slate Films with brother Karnesh. Their debut thriller NH-10 on a Rs 13-crore budget was a sleeper success, making Rs 33 crore at the box office. "She has been amazing. In NH-10, she holds the screen. What is really admirable is that so early in her career she is taking charge with her production house and actively shaping her career and films. Leading men in Bollywood do it but not the women," says film critic Anupama Chopra.
Anushka's journey and her foray into filmmaking has an important backdrop. The dynamics in the Bollywood industry is changing. The digital era is reshaping the way entertainment is created, consumed and monetised. Increasingly, digital platforms like YouTube, Netflix and now Amazon Prime are beginning to play a critical role in the way stars are made and their stardom sustained. "Today good and fresh content narrated in an engaging manner is the biggest differentiator. The trick to make profits is to connect with your core audience keeping a control on the cost of production," says Aashish Singh, vicepresident, Yash Raj Films. Anushka's presence in Bollywood should be see in this light.
Making of a Star
Anushka's 20th floor penthouse in Versova's Badrinath Towers in Mumbai offers a great view of the ocean and some green cover. She bought three penthouses here in 2012, and shares the space with her parents and brother Karnesh. Fresh out of a shower, dressed in fitting blue jeans paired with a comfortable blue top, minus makeup, she looks every bit the pretty girl-next-door with an easy presence.
Making of a Star
Anushka's 20th floor penthouse in Versova's Badrinath Towers in Mumbai offers a great view of the ocean and some green cover. She bought three penthouses here in 2012, and shares the space with her parents and brother Karnesh. Fresh out of a shower, dressed in fitting blue jeans paired with a comfortable blue top, minus makeup, she looks every bit the pretty girl-next-door with an easy presence.
Understated, this isn't a star's home demanding attention; the rough brick-finish wall, the pale-shaded upholstery and the Turkish kilim have been handpicked by her. A couple of coffee table books offer clues to eclectic tastes " Famous " Through the Lens of Paparazzi'; and Jazz " New York in the Roaring Twenties'. And you can't escape the level-up lounge-like area overlooking the living room. "I thought I will stock it with books and that it would be a good area to just hang around. "I thought I will stock it with books and that it would be a good area to just hang around. I never got down to doing it," she says.
Growing up in Bengaluru, Anushka was a restless teenager. "I didn't have issues. But I realised that the way I dealt with the world was not right. I wanted to centre myself." Spiritually inclined, around 15 she did an Art of Living course, learnt Sudarshan Kriya. She read Rhonda Byrne's bestselling self-help book The Secret, which made her understand "the power of thoughts" and that "you can make things happen". Fond of biographies, she has read Andre Agassi's Open andParamahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi; she's now reading the Bhagwad Gita.
In 2008, Anushka auditioned for Rab Ne Bana di Jodi that Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films was directing. "I had met over 70 models. But when I met Anushka, I couldn't stop telling her that she was the most non-filmy person I had met. The way she conducted herself, she had no baggage and no idea of fame.
And she didn't care," recalls Maneesh Sharma who was the assistant director for the film. There has been no looking back since. "She has matured and isn't restless anymore. She has been picking up her films well, focusing on performance-oriented roles," says Maneesh. Adds NH-10 costar Neil Bhoopalam: "This industry has unsaid hierarchies. She has none of that."
Growing up in Bengaluru, Anushka was a restless teenager. "I didn't have issues. But I realised that the way I dealt with the world was not right. I wanted to centre myself." Spiritually inclined, around 15 she did an Art of Living course, learnt Sudarshan Kriya. She read Rhonda Byrne's bestselling self-help book The Secret, which made her understand "the power of thoughts" and that "you can make things happen". Fond of biographies, she has read Andre Agassi's Open andParamahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi; she's now reading the Bhagwad Gita.
In 2008, Anushka auditioned for Rab Ne Bana di Jodi that Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films was directing. "I had met over 70 models. But when I met Anushka, I couldn't stop telling her that she was the most non-filmy person I had met. The way she conducted herself, she had no baggage and no idea of fame.
And she didn't care," recalls Maneesh Sharma who was the assistant director for the film. There has been no looking back since. "She has matured and isn't restless anymore. She has been picking up her films well, focusing on performance-oriented roles," says Maneesh. Adds NH-10 costar Neil Bhoopalam: "This industry has unsaid hierarchies. She has none of that."
What does Anushka look for in a film? Four things she says. Story, script, director and her role. Not so much the costar? "I understand their power. But that isn't the reason why I would decide on a film."
Slipping into any role requires lot of ground work. "I couldn't relate to my character in ADHM. I cannot lose myself so much in a relationship," she says. Building a back story helps. Even though she may not relate, constantly thinking about the character often takes her to aher to a place where she begins to empathise with the person and then play the role convincingly.
For her role in Sultan " in which a middle-aged, out-of-shape former wrestler makes a comeback " she watched a lot of athletes, their body language, and how they interacted with others. Spending time with wrestlers in Haryana, too, helped. For the singer's role in Bombay Velvet, she had kept a mike in her living room and, every now and then while passing by, she would pick it up, sing and perform. An animal lover (her dog is called Dude), she is a vegetarian and teetotaller. Spiritual, she does naam jap (a spiritual chant) whenever she can through the day. No matter where she is and how hectic the work hours, she is particular about two things: At least eight hours of sleep and a minimum of 30-45 minutes of workout. "I will walk out of parties. I don't know how people function with 4-5 hours of sleep," she says.
Stardom in the 21st Century
In an earlier era, stars behaved differently in both real and reel life. Larger than life, there was a certain enigma around them. That is changing when Facebook and Twitter are making them more accessible and real. "You are not going to have that kind of stardom anymore," Anushka says. Unlike the superheroes of the past, today's protagonists " like a Ranveer Singh " are more real, with warts and all in the characters they play. Stars still have fans, though.
With time, Anushka has evolved and grown more comfortable in her interactions with these superstars. "But no matter how many films I do with them, I cannot have a peer relationship. My comfort level with Ranbir and Ranveer (of the same generation) will always be higher," she says.
Different directors have very different workstyles and actors need to adapt, points out Anushka. For example, Rajkumar Hirani is theatrical where dialogues tell the story and hence there is continuous clarity. Anurag Kashyap lets you internalise and improvise. Vishal Bhardwaj's characters are such that they give you the liberty to be a bit quirky. "Imtiaz Ali numbs my brain. He will take you deeply into the scene and explain to you everything.
Like he would tell you this is what you are feeling, this is why you are doing it," she says. Aditya Chopra with whom she has done five films seems her favourite. "He is easy, honest, transparent and very principled. I have lot of respect for his work ethic. What he has done with YRF is phenomenal," she says.
Different directors have very different workstyles and actors need to adapt, points out Anushka. For example, Rajkumar Hirani is theatrical where dialogues tell the story and hence there is continuous clarity. Anurag Kashyap lets you internalise and improvise. Vishal Bhardwaj's characters are such that they give you the liberty to be a bit quirky. "Imtiaz Ali numbs my brain. He will take you deeply into the scene and explain to you everything.
Like he would tell you this is what you are feeling, this is why you are doing it," she says. Aditya Chopra with whom she has done five films seems her favourite. "He is easy, honest, transparent and very principled. I have lot of respect for his work ethic. What he has done with YRF is phenomenal," she says.
Stardom in the 21st Century
In an earlier era, stars behaved differently in both real and reel life. Larger than life, there was a certain enigma around them. That is changing when Facebook and Twitter are making them more accessible and real. "You are not going to have that kind of stardom anymore," Anushka says. Unlike the superheroes of the past, today's protagonists " like a Ranveer Singh " are more real, with warts and all in the characters they play. Stars still have fans, though.
They now want selfies and some will even say: "Arre smile karo na. Sometimes I say no as I don't feel like. This assumption that on your direction I will smile, perform bothers me. I don't want to be that accessible." Anushka handles her own Twitter account and wants to deal with her fans on her own terms and not simply react. "As a star, I have flaws but i tell myself you will be courageous and be who you are. And not put up an act. I do not want to fall into that trap and start living up to an image," she says.
It is something that the director Imtiaz Ali, with whom she is shooting, too has noticed: "A straightforward person, she is clean and clear with no grey zones. I tell her remain who you are'."
It is something that the director Imtiaz Ali, with whom she is shooting, too has noticed: "A straightforward person, she is clean and clear with no grey zones. I tell her remain who you are'."
There are issues she feels strongly about. Like the gender pay gap and the rampant sexism in Bollywood. She has been candid in media interviews: "If there is an actor at the same stature as me...he would still be paid more than me because he is a guy...Men can work as long as they want to...but women are only okay till they are young and desirable... If you're on an outdoor shoot, you know that the guy is gonna get a better room than you. Why..?"
She was perhaps echoing the gripe of Jennifer Lawrence " the world's highest paid actress " about Hollywood's gender wage gap last year. A 2014 study of Hollywood stars found that while for men the peak earning year is 51 for women it is 34. This is when male-led films hardly make more money than the female-led ones. Another study that looked at the top 25 highest earning films between 2006 and 2015 found that box office hits about a man grossed an average $80.6 million while those of women earned $126.1 million on average.
"Instead of talking one must do something about it and break stereotypes," says Anushka. She's doing her bit by shunning item songs, picking roles that represent women the right way and now producing films with meaty roles for women (think NH-10, in which Anushka plays the role of a wife who avenges the murder of her husband by a gang). "I want to reshape the way Bollywood looks at women."
"Instead of talking one must do something about it and break stereotypes," says Anushka. She's doing her bit by shunning item songs, picking roles that represent women the right way and now producing films with meaty roles for women (think NH-10, in which Anushka plays the role of a wife who avenges the murder of her husband by a gang). "I want to reshape the way Bollywood looks at women."
Turning producer should help too. Bollywood is ripe for disruption, roiled by high talent costs and low revenues. Top order casts no longer guarantees box office hits. Neither do formula films. In 2016 alone, many multistarrer mega-budget films have flopped, from Shah Rukh's Fan (Budget '105 crore) to Hrithik Roshan's Mohenjo Daro (Rs 120 crore). Equally, there have been surprise superhits like Airlift, Pink and Rustom. Amid this churn, studios are hurting with some like Disney calling it quits "YRF discovered the importance of bringing in new talent to the industry long time back and is currently managing and working with an enviable lot of in-house talent be it actors, directors or writers," says Singh of YRF, whose Rs 9-crore Dum Laga Ke Haisha, minus a star cast, was a superhit, raking in over Rs 30 crore.
This is where Anushka's Clean Slate Films fits in neatly. After NH-10's success, it has Phillauri (a romantic comedy) and Kaneda (a crime-thriller) in the pipeline. "Our philosophy is to bet on new content and talent, work on tight budgets and monetise well.
Digital is coming along in a big way. It is great time for us," says Anushka's brother Karnesh. Newcomer Navdeep Singh's NH-10 project was falling apart when Anushka decided to bet on it. "She works very very hard.
Digital is coming along in a big way. It is great time for us," says Anushka's brother Karnesh. Newcomer Navdeep Singh's NH-10 project was falling apart when Anushka decided to bet on it. "She works very very hard.
As a coproducer she brings a sense of ownership. It was a great first film," says Navdeep. "As a producer, my stardom is important. It's a valuable ticket," reckons Anushka. It opens doors " Phillauri is backed by Fox Star Studios and has a bigger budget than NH-10's '13 crore. "To me that's why success in films like Sultan is important. It helps me do a film like NH-10 or Phillauri," she adds. Anushka likes the control she has when she is producing.
It also brings to her interesting roles " she is the leading lady in all the three home productions. But she clarifies that the idea is not to make films for Anushka.
"We don't come from the industry. We have no fixed notions or baggage around what works and what does not. When you know too much you don't take risks." Clearly, for Anushka, the possibilities are endless, and also the path to knowledge.
"We don't come from the industry. We have no fixed notions or baggage around what works and what does not. When you know too much you don't take risks." Clearly, for Anushka, the possibilities are endless, and also the path to knowledge.
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