PERSONAL LIFE
1. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is when I was around 4-5 years and I used to sit on my grandfather’s shoulders. He used to pick me up and I used to hold his head and thats how he dropped me to the school bus. I remember feeling so safe and loved and having some kind of power over him because he really loved me. He prayed for me a lot and made me feel precious. I used to not want to go to school and he used to bribe with sweets or something early morning. There are Indian sweets like Kalakand and Rabri which are very famous in Rajasthan, particularly where I am from and I used to have them fresh. I used to get lost in the process and that’s how he would perhaps push me to a school bus. Today, when I think of it, I find it really cute and I think its a beautiful relationship that I had with my grandfather from my father and mother’s side. They had the job of dropping me to the school bus and i used to dominate both of them. They always gave me that love, respect and power over them and it made me feel very valued.
2. How do you balance work and personal life?
I am a very balanced person and I am inherently like that and I have also worked towards it. So, I like to have balance and clarity in my life. Hence, I segregate my work time and family time accordingly because I don’t like to put everything like a cluster because it confuses the hell out of you and I don’t like that. I just like how I segregate everything, right from my cupboard to my mind. It helps me bring balance in my work and personal life. To me, they both have their own importance and they both have their time. So be it work life or personal life, whatever I am on at a time, it gets my full attention and that’s how I always keep it. Very clear in my mind that way.
3. What’s your idea of a perfect weekend getaway?
I would just love to go to a hill station or any place surrounded by nature with my husband and dog Casper. I just want to chill and simply get lost in the wilderness. Just the three of us and that’s the perfect idea of a perfect getaway for me.
CAREER
1. What inspired you to become an actress?
My father wanted me to be an actor and I too loved playing different characters as a child. It was easy for me to get into another person’s character because I was a good observer right from childhood. With time, the observation improved and helped me act better. I was always fascinated by different characters, different people and different lives. I love observing people and I do that all the time. It’s like some analysis is happening in my mind which I am not completely aware of but it happens naturally to me. I enjoy doing that and my father wanted me to be an actor. He himself wanted to be an actor but life had other plans for him. That’s why, when he saw that interest in me, he wanted to fan that fire for me and that’s how I happened to be in this career. We happened to shift here in Mumbai after my dad shifted his entire business from Rajasthan to here. Through his business, he met a lot of personalities from the film industry and he loved every bit of it. So, he wanted me to have this fame and limelight. I guess in a way, he tried to live his dream through me and that’s how I became an actor. This is one job where I never felt like I was working. Every time I was on set, I was alive and I was really myself. I searched for myself in each character that I played and I found a part of me in each one of them. That helped me realise who I really am in a way. I love my career.
2. How do you prepare for a new role?
As I said, I am very good at observing and I observe a lot. I also meditate a lot so that makes me observe myself. I have noticed and learnt this that when you become aware of your own emotions, you learn how your mind plays tricks and a lot of other things. You learn how you function as this entity called a human being. You understand a lot of things about a lot of people because we are really not that different. We just make different choices that takes us to different paths for whatever reasons. But internally, we all come from the same egg and we all are one and connected with collective consciousness. So, if you can observe yourself, you can observe everybody. That is how it helps me to get into another person’s skin. I try to understand the complexity and layers of the character. I like to work on different looks and hence, when you get the look right, you win half the battle. The getup makes you that person. And , if you are intense deep person with a surrendering personality which I am, I surrender to my role and I don’t let myself come in between. In fact, there were times when I became the character so much that I had to take a holiday and take a break for a month or two to get out of that character and become me again. So yes, that’s my process usually.
3. What’s your most memorable project to date?
I have different memories with different projects and I really enjoyed working on each one of them. However, if you really ask me my most memorable, I would say ‘Yeh Meri Life Hai’. It was the biggest show and Production of my life at that time. It was me as the main character at that level getting presented the way I was presented. Everything was just so desirable about that project. When it came to life, it was all magical and I just couldn’t believe it was happening to me. The memory related to that show was so new and so fresh. I was very young and full of hopes, dreams and passion to achieve success and show the world that I am who I am and I am good at it. There is so much passion when you are younger and I really miss that. Any memory you make with that passion is something you will always remember because you are never going to have that passion again. The second project would always remain the second project but the first one is always special because you are new and you are curious about everything. Everything that’s happening is giving you a new experience and that’s the thrill about it. You live it with all that you have and you eventually become wiser with all those experiences. However, at that age when you don’t know much about life, you really live it and you don’t separate yourself from the character you are living because you are that character. I was Pooja Mehta and I was Shama Sikander playing Pooja Mehta and I was so much into both these. I miss that passion and innocence that I had and I miss the memories I created. I made some amazing friendships and I felt so much loved on that set. It will always be very very special and close to my heart.
FASHION
1. What’s your personal style like?
My style is very easy, sexy, glamorous and at the same time graceful and confident. Its strong and feminine and I feel its an extension of me. I am a vibrant person and I love colors and so, you will see me wearing a lot of color sometime. You will also see me wear a lot of white and black and it’s also like sleek, glamorous, simple, elegant and graceful. That’s what my personal style is. I like it subtle and less and too much ‘showsha’. My sense of style is very feminine.
2. Who’s your favorite fashion designer?
Well, one of my most favourite fashion designer is Dolce & Gabbana and Alexander McQueen. I just love their cuts. They are perfect and they fit my body so well. I just love both of them.
3. What’s the one accessory you can’t live without?
I think earrings are my go-to accessory. I can wear earrings on anything and I have some amazing simple, chunky, long and extra big, literally all kind of earrings. At some point of time, years ago, I would have said bracelets but now it’s earrings.
WELLNESS
1. What’s your fitness routine like?
My fitness routine is very set and I am quite disciplined about it. I do three days of weight-training and three days of cardio and yoga together. I believe in strength training along with internal strength training with my yoga. I practice yoga & Hatha yoga on a regular basis. I believe in being flexible and at the same time, integrated, aligned, & focused. These is my training routine and there’s one day when I take an off when I don’t do anything.
2. How do you prioritize mental health?
Well, mental health is my utmost priority all time and every time because I have suffered a lot when I suppressed it. It took me a long time to learn that there’s something called mental health and hence, I always advocate it. There are still many out there who don’t know what mental health is. The thing that you order best to function is your mind and the mind controls your body. Your mind is your organizer and it does everything for your body. You really have to understand that if you don’t keep your mind happy and don’t keep your mental health in check, you are going to have a lot of problem. That problem converts into physical problem which again a lot of people are not aware of. A lot of people if they heal their mind, they will heal their body. I have myself done that time and again. Today, I have become so aligned with all my thoughts. I know when I am having a physical illness and I also know when it is related to any kind of my past trauma. There are traumas like ancestral trauma which are there in the DNA. It is going to come out as something physical and that’s why, I meditate a lot. I ask myself where it is coming from, what belief of mine is perhaps creating this illness and trust me, everything I worked on it, it goes away. Everytime I worked mentally on it, I healed physically as well. So mental health for me is my utmost priority. I keep my mind and heart happy all the time. We are ruled by the heart. Our heart is the biggest brain. I make sure that everything I do is for my mental health. Just a simple 30 mins cardio can make you feel so much better. The movement of body can make you feel better. Some kind of movement is very healthy for your mental health. Walk, dance, run, strength training etc will eventually make you feel better and science has proven that. I ensure I watch good content and I also ensure that I don’t watch any content that makes me feel negative or in fear mode. I like to watch or read things that empower. Reading too is an amazing exercise and it has so many cognitive benefits. I strongly recommend reading to people. I always recommend speaking out loud for good mental health. I spend time with my family and spend a lot of time in knowing myself. I believe in figuring out the source of my emotions and that’s how I work on healing them. I have a puppy and I spend a lot of time. It brings me immense joy. Playing with him, taking him for a walk and serving him. I do a lot of planting etc for my community. It gives me immense happiness. These are simple joys of life and it makes me feel good. I have a lot of plants in my house and I feed them and take care of them. That’s my service to the world. Plants take care of us and I share a special bond with nature. I don’t feel anything else as separate from me and that keeps my mental health at optimum level. Have hard conversations if needed where it’s necessary. I don’t force myself when it’s not needed and I give myself that time and respect. I value my emotions and feelings a lot. I value my process a lot and I prioritise myself always.
3. What’s your favorite self-care activity?
My favourite self-care activity is going to a spa, surrounded by nature and just chill there. Getting a massage there, enjoy the wind, sip the tea, have Casper and my husband beside me and just release all the trauma by being there. That’s my favourite self-care activity. Go for a nice trek, the physical challenge that will release all the toxins from the body. It gives you happy hormones. Being kind to people and intentionall having integrity and being loyal is the key. That’s the highest form of self-care for me.
INSPIRATION
1. who’s your biggest inspiration in the industry?
I love what Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone are doing with their career. These are entrepreneurial actresses and not only just famous for their work, they are also good people. They are nice, sweet and kind and they have achieved everything in their own terms against all odds. That’s very inspiring.
2. What motivates you to keep pushing boundaries?
Just being myself. Pushing boundaries is all about growing and I am a growth-oriented person. When you grow, you feel liberated and I love expansion. I don’t like being in a state of compression for long. I stay away from anything that makes me fearful. I avoid any sort of content that instills fear and negativity in my mind and heart. That brings you into a compressed zone and stops your growth and I certainly don’t like that. I motivate myself to push my boundaries because I like to grow. I love to gain wisdom and knowledge and that’s crucial for me. It’s the fuel to the fire of my soul.
3. What advice would you give to young aspiring actresses?
I just want to tell everyone to live their lives they way they feel. It’s their life and hence no one should be telling them how they should be living it. Just know it’s your life and you have the right to live it. Be fearless about things no matter who says what. Live your life with love and kindness.
FUN QUESTIONS
1. If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be?
Meryl Streep. I love that woman. I would love to know what a day in her life would be.
2. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Well, I can’t talk about that. Can I? (Chuckles)
3. What’s your guilty pleasure TV show or movie?
I would say OTT at present. I love to watch some amazing shows on Netflix & Apple. I am a sucker for that so yes.
