Anushka Sharma: Brash? So what?
Anushka Sharma believes in speaking her mind
A lot is said about Shah Rukh Khan’s energy levels and enthusiasm. His co-star Anushka Sharma doesn’t lag behind. Those who know her in the film industry and anyone in the media who has spoken to her will vouch for her ability to guarantee an engaging conversation and a pretty quick one at that. She rattles off words faster than you can catch them, pausing now and then only to catch her breath. She’s been that way, from her debut film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, through Band Baaja Baaraat and Ladies Vs. Ricky Bahl and now, Jab Tak Hai Jaan. “I never thought I’d get another chance to work with Shah Rukh,” Anushka tells us, when we pin her down for a conversation. “I was so inexperienced when I worked with him in Rab Ne… This time, I was more confident as a co-star,” she adds.
Anushka won’t reveal anything about the film other than the small details we already know. She essays the part of Akira, who wants to make a documentary for Discovery Channel on Samar (Shah Rukh). “I go on a journey to learn the story of Samar. There is a love triangle, just like in previous Yashji films like Chandni, Darr and Dil To Pagal Hai. In each of his films, the story and narration of the love triangle have been different. Jab Tak Hai Jaan is a quintessential Yash Chopra film that deals with human relations. There’s the old world charm of Yash Chopra brand of romance in a fresh tale,” she says.
While shooting for the film, she had no premonition this would be Yash Chopra’s last film. “On the second last day of shooting in Kashmir, Yashji told Shah Rukh this will be his last shot. This was before he made the announcement through the interview to Shah Rukh on his 80th birthday,” recalls Anushka. She cherishes memories of working with the legendary filmmaker. “It was a dream come true. All through the schedule, Yashji was enthusiastic and happy. He wanted to die with his boots on and until his last days, he was working. I will remember him as one of the most gracious, warm and child-like people I ever knew. He was young at heart, jovial and the lessons of wisdom that he shared with us will always remain with me. He was pursuing excellence in his craft and was above the mundane things around him,” says Anushka. She pauses, as thought lost for words, and continues, “There’s a feeling of emptiness as the release date approaches and Yashji is not around.”
After Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Anushka’s impressive line up of films includes Vishal Bharadwaj’s Maatru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola and Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet with Ranbir Kapoor. Her ‘Meena Kumari complex’ dialogue and the earthy, racy promo have already sparked interest in Maatru… “I feel so blessed. I had chalked out a list of filmmakers I wanted to work with. What more would I want when directors like Vishal Bharadwaj and Anurag Kashyap approach me for work?” she asks.
Exuberance and expressions are Anushka’s biggest assets and she attributes that to her spontaneity. “I learn my lines well. But I don’t rehearse much. Rehearsing, I feel, can make things mechanical. I enjoy my work and perhaps that shows in front of the camera,” she says. On the other hand, Anushka is also termed brash in film circles. “What’s wrong with that?” she quips, “I come from an Army background; so there’s a certain kind of discipline. I was brought up in a home where we were encouraged to be forthright and speak our mind. That’s what I do even at work, which is mistaken for arrogance.”
There’s a feeling of emptiness as the release date approaches and Yashji is not around.
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