I’m super psyched to bring you my exclusive chat with Anushka Sharma about her new movie Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola in all it’s audio glory! (I’ve transcribed it as well just in case you can’t play the audio in your office or forget your headphones.) Enjoy! xoxo
Anushka Sharma on Imran Khan, Avantika Malik and her favorite scenes in Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola
MissMalini: Congratulations! The movie looks so good, we can’t wait to see it, how do you feel?
Anushka Sharma: Amazing. Tomorrow I have a trial in the evening. I was fine all this while but I’m now a little jittery! It’s a good thing I think.
MM: You’ve been on non-stop promotional activity, what is it like behind the scenes for you? Is it 24/7, do you get much sleep?!
AS: I think that’s a good thing because if I had time to myself I’d probably be sweating over the release and having one billion thoughts in my head which are completely pointless! So promotions are a good way of using your time productively, extremely productively and I’m happy. There have been sleepless nights and a lot of travel but it’s all worth it for your film. Sometimes it’s never enough, especially for me!
MM: What is it like to work with Imran Khan?
AS: Imran is an a absolute pleasure to work with. I think I’ve always been fortunate that I’ve gotten along with all my co-actors. Right from Shah Rukh Khan in my first film to Imran to call my co-actors and that’s something I feel very proud of that I share a good working relationship with all of them and we always turn out to build a good friendship and a good bond. And that’s exactly what I feel with Imran. He’s lovely and extremely nice which is something that I think he should be very very proud of because he’s a really nice guy. He’s intelligent so it’s nice to hold a conversation with him and you can hold a conversation with him. And also he wouldn’t just talk about the film, or the industry. I don’t like to indulge to much in that conversation and you can talk to him about everything and we speak about everything under the sun! Both of us grew up in Bangalore so there’s that common factor between the two of us as well.
MM: Everyone knows you and his wife Avantika are also really good friends how did you get to be friends and do you have girly shopping days?
AS: No no no, I’m not girly at all, I don’t even like shopping. But when we were shooting in Chandigarh Avantika had come to visit Imran, she’d come to see him and I think me and Avantika spent more time than Imran and Avantika did! *laughs* just like after pack both of us would just sit in my room because Imran would go to sleep early. We would just sit and talk and chat. She’s real good fun and she has a great sense of humor and she’s the complete opposite of Imran. Imran is very shy and reticent while she’s very talkative and she’s very very entertaining she has a great sense of humor.
MM: And yesterday we interviewed Ranveer Singh and he was saying that you’re a brilliant actor and you elevate the performance of whoever you act with. Is there something you do on purpose that helps you bring out the best in your co-stars?
AS: No not at all I’m just doing my job and there is no intention that I’m going to bring out the best in anybody else, I don’t even think that it’s possible for someone to do. The only thing I can do is mind my own business and I think that’s what I do. I try to be there for my actor. I try to give them as much… I make sure that I give them the exact same cues as my shot so even if I cried in my shot I would make sure that I will give the complete performance when we’re taking my co-actors shot. Other than that I think it’s just the energy with which you work. Like I was saying, Imran and me shared a very good positive energy on set and when you have that positive energy everyone’s work is good. Like during Jab Tak Hain Jaan it was the best experience I’ve ever had. it was the most peaceful and fun set with Shah Rukh and Katrina Kaif. I think that’s what makes your performance good when your co-actors are easy people and I’ve always had the fortune of working with similar people and I think that’s about it and you just go in and you do your job and try and have fun.
MM: And we actually asked on Twitter for a bunch of questions and they came in asking for you, a lot of your fans want to know are you going to do another movie with Ranveer?
AS: Yes of course, I mean if there’s a nice script that comes along, why not!
MM: And did you and Imran play a lot of pranks on each other on set of Matru Ki Bijli? Were you always joking around?
AS: You know these questions actually about pranks and funny incidences is real pressure! Because every time you’re going to promote a film you know that this question is going to be asked so like a few days before you’re going to end up your shooting schedule we start thinking Oh My God what are the funny incidences that happened and did we play any pranks? because that actually doesn’t happen we don’t actually go around playing pranks on one another! It really is like a very common misconception. There were no pranskters on our set. We just worked with a bunch of people who would just have fun in regular conversation, you know?!
MM Of course as Bijli you had to put on so many tattoos. How annoying was that for you and what were all the different tattoos?
AS: Extremely extremely annoying!
MM: What’s your favorite tattoo?
AS: My favorite would be dekho, magar pyar se on my back!
MM: And how long did it take everyday?
AS: It would take me about one hour fifteen minutes for all the tattoos. Because that wasn’t the only one, there was one on my neck and then there was one on my arm and somewhere else also… so it would take time. I would put it on one day and had to do it again like the day after. Like every alternate day!
MM: You had a very fun role to play in this movie, is there a particular scene we should look out for?
AS: Vishal Bharadwaj’s every scene is like really well crafted you know. So there really isn’t a scene that I can take out as this wasn’t different or this wasn’t unique I think that’s the beauty of this film. So I would say each and every scene. But you should really look forward to Pankaj Kapoor’s performance he’s fantastic and there’s one scene between him and me in the climax and I think that is extremely nice!
Anushka Sharma answers YOUR Twitter questions!
MM: Apoorva wants to know, in the song Mantru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola you’re wearing different tops but with the same skirt was that on purpose?
AS: Yes, that was.
MM: Something to do with the story?
AS: No, we just said that’d we would change the tops and not change the bottoms!
MM: And do you like to wear a particular designer because we love your fashion and we’ll always spotted you really well turned out. So who would you say are your favourite Indian designers?
AS: See for me my favourite Indian designers would have to be Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna. All their clothes just fit me perfectly! I’ve never had to alter any of their clothes. It’s something like I don’t even do trials when I’m wearing their clothes. I just know it’s going to fit me! So I love Rohit Gandhi/Rahul Khanna and they’re great guys and they’re just super fun! The kind of fashion that they do, it’s the kind of fashion that I like. It’s not OTT, it’s understated but it’s extremely fashionable and chic and that’s what I like about them. Apart from that I really like Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla for Indian clothes. Sabyasachi for Indian clothes and who else… and Manish also!
MM: All your fans want to know, people speculate all the time, are you seeing anyone right now? Are you single?
AS: Not at all, I’m completely single, it’s terrible *laughs*
MM: So how do you react to all these people saying you’re dating someone? Do you just let it slide off your back?
AS: I don’t know, it’s like they’re rubbing it in you know?! Whenever I’m single they’re like I think she isn’t! I wish it was true but it isn’t! And I’m single right now because I don’t think there’s any time for me to be in a like a proper relationship. Right now the work that I’m doing is taking up most of my mental state and I think relationships require a certain amount of commitment and also think if now I’m going to get into a relationship it’ll have to be something worthwhile. With someone who’s worth being in a relationship with! For that it takes time to find people, you can’t just get into one with anybody.
MM: Is there a Bollywood song stuck in your head right now?
AS: *sings* Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola!
MM: Who is your favorite Bollywood actor and actress?
AS: My favorite Bollywood actor is Shah Rukh Khan and my favorite Bollywood actress is Kareena Kapoor!
MM: So were you super nervous to work with Shah Rukh when you got the chance?
AS: No! I have been looking forward to working with Shah Rukh, he is someone who would never ever make you feel uncomfortable in his presence. He’s very friendly and he’s someone who would make conversation with anyone! Like whatever age you may be! We all know he’s extremely entertaining and very very witty and I always look forward to working with him. It doesn’t feel like you’re working, it just seems like an easy day and at the end of the day you feel happy that you’ve done good work and you’ve had a good time on set!
MM: And one last message to all your fans on MissMalini.com?
AS: Your website is very pink!
MM: *lol* it is very pink but it’s going to change soon!
AS: Why? Why would it change?
MM: I’m changing it soon, it’s getting a new look!
AS: What is the color?
MM: Purple, pink and blue!
AS: Oh nice!
MM: And do you have a message for everyone going to watch your movie?
AS: I just really hope that they like it! And if they do like it, they should tell you and then you should tell me about it!
MM: Thanks so much for your time Anushka!
AS: Thank you Malini it was nice talking to you… do you like to be called MissMalini or Malini is fine?
MM: Both of them work 🙂 I’m used to both now, whatever you prefer!
AS: Okie! It was nice talking to you, bye!
MM: You too! Bye! xoxo