Life lessons: ‘I don’t take success to head and failure to heart’

Working with the three Khans of Bollywood has opened new avenues for Anushka Sharma

NEW DELHI: In her eight-year-long journey in the Indian film industry, Anushka Sharma has tasted success with commercial hits such as Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, PK and the latest, Sultan. While she has also faced failure with Bombay Velvet and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, the actor-producer says neither success nor failure affects her dedication.

“Bombay Velvet was a big disaster I have faced. But the kind of person I am, I don’t take success to my head or failure to my heart. I feel that is important because I feel in an industry which is so fickle, you realise that soon,” Anushka said in an interview. “I feel because of this reason, I have managed to stay above the surface. It is important to have that sense of reality that you will have successes and you will have failures and you will have to lie somewhere in between,” she added.



Anushka is currently riding high on the success of Sultan, which saw her share screen space with superstar Salman Khan. While she made her film debut with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and later worked with Aamir Khan in PK, Salman is the third big Khan of Bollywood that Anushka has worked with. Speaking about this achievement, she shared, “I have never really thought about all these things happening to me. I never thought about I’ll get to work with all the three Khans. It really wasn’t something that ever occurred to me in my mind. But I feel humbled and happy... The contributions that I have had in these films are what make it special for me.”

She also feels fortunate because they are huge superstars of the country and have phenomenal reach, which helps her work to get through to other people. “Their reach is phenomenal and because of their reach and their fan following, my work gets through to so many other people.”

Anushka has also worked with some formidable directors during her career. From being a part of late legend Yash Chopra’s last film Jab Tak Hain Jaan to working with Karan Johar in the forthcoming Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, she has also worked under the direction of names such as Rajkumar Hirani, Zoya Akhtar and Ali Abbas Zafar.

However, Anushka mentioned her journey has always been about her own choices, whether it means producing a film at the age of 25 or it means not doing that many films in a year. According to her, whatever she does, she follows her gut. “Somewhere in my life, I have always been a bit of risk-taker in that I have never listened to things people have told me or what other female actors are doing. I have not paid much attention to those things,” she stated. “I feel sometimes when you follow your gut and instinct and you don’t feel afraid, I think God blesses you.  It is said that luck follows those who follow their instincts and I have just followed my instincts.”

Hailing from an army background, Anushka had absolutely no Bollywood backing. However, she credits film-maker Aditya Chopra for making her one of the top female actors today. Being an outsider turned out to be an advantage for Anushka; because she feels she did not join the industry with any pre-conceived notions about the way things need to be done.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2016.

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