‘I was touched by Anarkali’

Disha Patani is playing the warrior princess in “Sanghamitra”, her next period drama. She is in the news these days as this multi-lingual period film will have grand sets Meanwhile, the Bareilly girl, who started her career with Telugu film “Loafer” before getting noticed for the role of M.S. Dhoni's girlfriend in “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story”, is riding high on the success of “Baaghi 2”.

Excerpts:

How was the experience working in “Baaghi 2”?

The film is serious though it has the tropes of commercial cinema. The story is about two rebels in love and I am one of them. It revolves around how I fall in love with the other rebel and cannot be without him. The experience was fascinating for me. Ahmad Khan is a fabulous and trained director. More than that he is a great actor and enacts the role for you. He comes to the set fully prepared and he can even handle the camera. He has been working since he was a kid and he brings many things which only experience can teach you.

How do you approach acting?

I just listen to the director. I am a chilled out actor and I do not think too much. He has written the story and he knows the film more than anyone else; so I just follow him. I never learnt acting and so I read the lines and think how my character will say them. If I have to cry, I would think how I would be crying if it happens to me. I do relate to characters but do not compare them with my own personal experiences. You remember the emotions of your life and what it made you. If you are doing an emotional role like I did for “Baaghi 2”, it takes a toll on you mentally and you have to draw a line.

Did you always want to become an actor?

I will call it an act of destiny as I got the opportunity and I grabbed it. When I started with modelling and was doing B. Tech from Noida, I did not imagine that it would take me too far though I love what I do. I started travelling too much because of my assignments and I had to leave college because I could not do both things together. So, basically the studies went away and I am here (laughs). My family was always supportive and they trust me.

Can you tell us about your inspiration?

My elder sister, who is a captain in the Army, is my role model. She was always my guiding force and still is. I wanted to become an Air Force pilot and fly the plane. In film industry I do not have many inspirations as I was not into films at all during my school days. I used to watch only those films which my father used to take us each weekend which stopped when my younger brother was born. My dad is a film buff and watches all the films. But I can consider that Anarkali’s character in “Mughal-e-Azam” was something that touched me and sometimes I used to watch that film four-five times in a day because of my father!

Considering you are an outsider, do you have a strategy in mind?

No, I have no plans as such as you cannot predict life. I choose to do scripts which relate to my sensibilities and strike me. I am happy that I entered the industry at a point when it was opening up to new ideas and story-oriented films were working well. Those days are gone when you make rubbish and people will lap it up. Content-driven films are doing well and I will hope to be a part of them. The industry now is a good place for everyone to grow.