Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor, who was last seen in the action thriller ‘Baaghi 3’ with Tiger Shroff, is one of the most loved and sought-after actors of her generation in the industry. The ‘Stree’ actor has come a long way in her career since her debut in the 2010 movie ‘Teen Patti’.
Shraddha has teamed up with Ranbir Kapoor for the first time ever to work together on a special project. The film is directed by Luv Ranjan and will have Ajay Devgn playing a crucial part too. That’s not all, she will be playing a shape-shifting serpent or Nagin in another movie. The film is directed by Vishal Furia and produced by Nikhil Dwivedi under the banner of Saffron Broadcast & Media Ltd. The film will also reportedly designed as a trilogy.
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In an exclusive interview with Outlook’s Eshita Bhargava, Shraddha Kapoor, Brand Ambassador, The Body Shop India, opened up on her journey in Bollywood, what all she has learnt and unlearnt, her upcoming movies, and much more.
Excerpts from the interview:
You've completed 11 years in the industry. How has your journey been so far?
Honestly, I can’t believe it, it’s been more than a decade, and time flies. In the last 11 years, I have learned a lot, it feels amazing. The journey has been a complete adventure for me and I am looking forward to a more amazing and beautiful time of my life in this industry.
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The initial years were a little hard on you. What do you remember of those years?
Highs and lows are bound to happen and that’s something that happens with everyone. Not every movie can be a blockbuster; I always try not to get much attached to success or failure. What I want is to do better work, to bring improvement in me, and offer the audience something different with each film I do. I want to be remembered for my work.
What attracts you to a role now?
I think I get attracted to strong and powerful roles. In any case, I feel that more meaningful and meatier roles are being written for women now. In all kinds of films, even the out-and-out commercial ones, women are seen in stronger roles. The people want it that way.
You'll be seen in Luv Ranjan's next opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Tell us something about that.
I love Luv sir’s films and admire Ranbir as an actor so I’m super thrilled to be working with them.
Has the title been finalized or we'll have to wait?
Not yet.
What about Vishal Furia's movie? Tell us something about that.
It’s Nagin. To be a part of a film which has been an iconic one in the past is a real honour.
Do you think OTT platforms have changed the game?
OTT platform has emerged as one of the best mediums of entertainment. People not only want to watch famous faces they want a story that they can connect with. Now content is getting more importance than ever before and it is an exciting time for all of us.
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How do you feel being the Brand Ambassador of The Body Shop?
The Body Shop exists to fight for a fairer and more beautiful world. That is something I truly resonate with. Providing efficacious, quality-driven products inspired by natural ingredients and committed to ethical practices to benefit the consumers, the brand drew me to it with its undying efforts to prove that “Business for Good” does exist in reality. It’s our good fortune to have associated, so together we both can create more awareness and make unprejudiced beauty more prevalent and most common.
Rapid Fire:
One thing that comes to your mind when I say:
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Beauty – A Kind heart
Dance – Fuel for life
Love – Impossible to live without
A character you would want to play.
There are so many that I haven’t even imagined. The sky is the limit. Look forward to doing a lot of memorable work.
What was the last thing you watched on the OTT platform?
I watched ‘The White Tiger’
How would you describe Shraddha off the camera?
I am a shy person. I feel more comfortable with my close friends from school and college. I can talk to them about anything at any time and non-stop as with my family. I am an extrovert with people I know very well.
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Your bond with your father...
Cannot be put into words but I can try :) He is a friend, a mentor, my darling father who is protective and looking out for me every step of the way.
How would you rate your satisfaction level at this stage of your career?
I think I am in an amazing phase of my career right now. I am working on commercial films and focusing on stronger female lead roles which have larger-than-life subjects. For instance, through the 'Street Dancer', I learnt that dance is a powerful medium and can be used to impact lives positively it also helped me understand the problems of people living on the streets of London.
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Tell us about somebody you look up to; a person who has shaped the way you think and behave?
My mom. I look up to her for who she is and how she thinks. My parents have played a huge role in shaping my point of view towards life. The irony is that my father has never picked up the phone to get me to meet anybody or to get cast, and I feel like I’ve had to carve my path. I have auditioned for many roles and faced several rejections. I am grateful for them because they have made me the person I am today.
