“I do not have any compunction to wear modern costumes on screen if the scene is shot aesthetically by the filmmakers,” says ISHITA SHARMA RAJ to JYOTHI VENKATESH in this exclusive interview for CINEBUSTER
Her debut film Pyar Ka Panchnama was a hit, while her second film Pyar Ka Panchnama 2 was a super hit while her third outing in films- Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety has turned out to be a super duper hit. Yes. With the collections of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety crossing the 100 cr mark at the box office, Ishita Sharma who has played a cameo role in the film as Pihu along with Kartik, Nusrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh, is quite agog with excitement about having carved for herself a niche in spite of doing a cameo role.
In what way has the phenomenal success of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety has helped you as far as your career is concerned?
The film Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety has brought me in an entirely different light and the audiences have accepted me now more as an actor. In fact, Pyar Ka Panchnama did not fetch me credit or appreciation as an actor. What has given me an extra edge is that though my role isn’t big, I have not been overpowered in the film.
How did you bag the role in the film?
When Luv Ranjan called me to offer me the role in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, he did not tell me the story. Instead he just told me that my role was like the one Salman Khan had done in Kuch Kuch Hota Hain. Luv Sir told me that just like Salman Khan was the surprise packet of the film Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, people will find me too a pleasant surprise in the film. I said yes immediately because Luv who has proved himself with five films as a director had given me the scripts for both Pyar ka Panchnama and Pyar Ka Panchnama 2 though for this film, he did not.
How is Luv Ranjan as a director?
Luv is very flexible as a director and gave me the liberty to interpret my role the way I wanted though he does not like his dialogues to be tampered with by his actors. The reason I instantly agreed to be a part of the film, though Nusrat Bharucha plays the main role, is that my rapport with the entire team of the film Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety has grown over the years, especially since each and everyone had started his or her career with Pyar Ka Panchnama and a special bond has been formed over the last seven years.
You had earlier played the role of Kusum in Luv’s Pyar Ka Panchnama 2!
Luv was so impressed with my performance in the sequel that he told me that I had given a different color altogether on my own to my part though he did not expect me to come up with flying colors and told me that he had a different approach to different characters in the film. Luv Sir told me that he liked the way I had amalgamated my character with my personality.
Is it true that it was by accident that you bagged the offer to play one of the leads in Pyar Ka Panchnama?
It is true that I never actually came to audition for the film Pyar Ka Panchnama but just visited Mumbai for audition for Hema Malini’s TV serial Maati Ke Banno. After my look test, I was sitting along with a friend when Luv Ranjan’s casting director asked me if I was interested in playing the character of Charu in Pyar Ka Panchnama. I said yes and auditioned for the part.
Did you forget all about acting in Hema Malini’s serial and opt for a career in films?
At the audition and photo shoot cum look test, director Luv Ranjan and producer Abhishek Pathak who were exasperated at not getting the right girl for the role till they came across me told me that they would convey the results soon and asked me to wait. After 10 days, I was told that I was selected for the role and the rest is history and I did not bother to know whether I was selected for her serial.
Are you more of a summer person or a winter person?
To tell you the truth, I am more of a winter person as I love winter with its chill and cold climate when I can wear loads of jackets
Why do you loathe summer?
I loathe summer because I feel lazy during the summer with its scorching heat, especially because I just cannot stand the heat. During the summer, it is very difficult to work on the outdoor shoots on locations as with the sun literally on your heads; it becomes tough to work in the summer.
What do you drink during the hot summer, to make yourself cool?
My favorite pastime is drinking loads and loads of H20. Yes. I drink a lot of water, juices with lots of ice during the summer and do not touch aerated drinks even with a barge pole. I also drink electrol and fresh lime juice and eat a lot of fruits to keep myself hydrated all the time.
What difference do you find in Delhi and Mumbai during the summer?
It’s hotter in Delhi as it is not on a coastal area like Mumbai. Though it is hot, Mumbai is humid and it is cooler during the nights, especially as it is by the sea. It is also windy and cooler throughout the nights in Mumbai
What is your diet during the summer?
I am the last person on earth to diet. I do not like to starve and go on a diet but do smart eating and avoid carbs at night. I eat as much as I can but take more protein at night
Is it true that you are a M. Sc grad from London in International business from University of London, besides B Com from Gargi College in Delhi? I hail from a business family in New Delhi. My father is a businessman while my mom is a home maker and it was only after I was zeroed in for the role by director Luv that I decided to come down to stay in Mumbai, all the way from New Delhi.
What does your breakfast consist of?
I make it a point to have eggs in the form of scrambled egg or boiled eggs or omelets in the morning besides poha and idli sambar. I am a sucker for home cooked food though. Basically I am a non vegetarian and enjoy eating unpolished rice and coco grain or multigrain chapattis with green vegetarian dal, salad and chaas or lassi for lunch. I prefer to have a very light dinner at night and hence avoid eating chapatis or rice at night.
What is your mantra for eating?
I believe in having breakfast like a king, as I have a heavy breakfast, lunch like a prince as I have a lighter lunch and dinner like a pauper as my dinner is always very light. My dinner consists of veg soup or steamed grill fish or grilled salmon and chicken.
Do you do yoga too besides dancing?
I am up for yoga and do a lot of yogas though I am not very regular. Yoga is very necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What is your idea of a getaway for summer?
I like to take a flight to U.K to beat the heat. I had studied in London and I loved London and its cool weather whatever be the time of the year.
What clothes do you like to wear in summer?
I like to wear anything which is breezy like T-Shirts, skirts, pants, jeans with nice tops during the summer when one does not have to layer oneself up.
What cosmetics do you advocate for use?
During the summer, you should use sunscreen with tinted lip moisturizer and good mascara to avoid an oily skin.
Do you feel your height is a deterrent for you?
I am 5’ 3” and am not at all conscious of my height. My weight is around 48 kilograms. If I were taller, I’d have been changing tube lights. I am not ashamed of my height because I am not a midget or short. Height, weight, color or caste and creed are not a barrier at all for true talent. Aamir Khan is short but still serves as an a example of being a perfectionist and can play any role with ease-whether that of a terrorist in Fanaa, or cool guy in Dil Chahta Hai or a gangster in The Thugs of Hindusthan or a college boy in Dil. If his height does not stop him, why should it stop me?
Are you game to do negative roles?
Though I do not have absolutely any compunction to wearing modern costumes on screen if they are pleasant look at and the scene is shot aesthetically by the filmmakers, I do not want to play an out and out negative role like say that of Mogambo, played by the late Amrish Puri in Mr India. Though my best role is yet to come, I’d say that If the role is substantial and the character is justified and crucial to the film, I am ready to play a negative role with different shades to it.
Who are your favourite actors and actresses, as far as Bollywood is concerned?
As I am a good dancer, I am a fan of Vyjayanthimala, besides Priyanka Chopra, Sridevi, Madhubala and Madhuri Dixit. Among the actors, my favorite is Salman Khan.I had seen Maine Pyar Kiya eight times even though I was just in school when the film was released
How romantic are you? What is your idea of a Mr Right in your life?
I think I am quite a romantic at heart because I am a sucker for romance. I like cheesy things and drama too. My idea of Mr Right is someone who can make me feel happy and appreciated and make my life beautiful, satisfied, contented and loved. I am still searching for that Mr Right.
How perturbed or scared are you of the casting couch in Bollywood?
I am intelligent enough to be aware of the casting couch syndrome and the compromises one has to make in films but am not perturbed because it is up to the individual to decide whether to succumb or not because no one will rape you in the film industry if you are not willing to resort to short cut and toe the line. My papa has treated me and my sister like sons and we were even allowed to travel all the way to USA, Europe and Bangkok. I am a city girl and know how to handle men and my conscience does not allow me to resort to short cut to success.
Are you game to do a two piece bikini and indulge in smooching sequences in films?
Whether I appear in a two piece bikini or not depends upon the script. In any case in today’s time, it is not a big deal to appear in a bikini because even the A grade heroines wear bikini but then if I am required to wear a bikini to seduce the hero in the bedroom, I will say no to the director, because I will not be really comfortable in that case. All said and done, I’d say that I am not game to do a smooching scene or be part of an out and out sex film or a sleazy film and do bold scenes.
There was a scene in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, where you touch Alok Nath’s feet covering your cleavage, as you bend to take his blessings and even turn a sensuous scene into a comic relief.
Imagine it is so funny. You are supposed to look hot, sexy and sensuous in a bikini, but for the first time, I wore bikini and turned it into comedy scene. I would only credit the film’s director Luv Ranjan for the applause. It was totally his input to shoot the scene a particular way. He said, ‘Let’s try this’. My first reaction was ‘Are you serious? You are asking me to do this in a bikini?’ Somehow, he was convinced that it would seem funny, and when I did it, the crew was in splits.
If you get offers to be part of web series, will you be game and oblige?
I have got calls for web series saying that it’s a bold script and has bold scenes, but I don’t want to be part of that cinema that I am not confident about. I want to do film and not focus on whether I am wearing a bikini or not. Because this bikini scene worked, it doesn’t mean I’ll repeat skin show in my future films. If wearing a bikini is a requirement of the script and is indispensable, I don’t mind doing.
Some even trolled you for the scene.
Come on, I wore a bikini in Europe on a bachelor party on a yacht with 200 other girls wearing a bikini. How does it look wrong? But I won’t go to any private party wearing a bikini. I would be apprehensive of doing it in a scene or at a place where it’s objectionable or doesn’t go in accordance with the setting. but I feel that there’s nothing vulgar or vahiyaat about wearing a bikini.
What next?
As a good dancer, I am keen on being a part of musical plays like Mughal E Azam. Right now I am in talks with Rajkumar Santoshi and looking forward to work with him in his next film.
