Doing small-town roles gave me confidence: Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon is happy playing the small-town girl. The actor, who will next be seen in Luka Chuppi, said she has become way more confident and comfortable today.

Kriti was in New Delhi to promote her latest film. The 28-year-old actor got candid with indianexpress.com about the concept of live-in, small-town roles and more.

Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Q. Luka Chuppi has an interesting plot – parents of the boy and girl come to stay with them unaware that the two are already in a live-in relationship.

That’s what attracted me to the film. I felt that it is quirky. Something that hasn’t been done before.

Q. But in reality, will a live-in couple be accepted in small towns of India?

Live-in is not accepted as a concept even in urban cities, and you need to explain its meaning in small towns. But today’s generation is getting a little more open about it before marriage. If live-in gives that clarity to you, then it’s okay. Yes, in our society, women are judged way more so if they are in a live-in, chances are a girl will be questioned and judged more. You will always have those nosy neighbours around you.

Q. So will Luka Chuppi change that attitude in the society?

We are not trying to preach about live-in. We are just trying to say – live and let live. There are way more important issues in the film. And “let love be” is one of the things. I feel if two people are in love and want to spend their life together, only they should be the ones deciding how their lives should go.

Q. How similar is Luka Chuppi’s Rashmi with your Bitti from Bareilly Ki Barfi?

They both are very strong headed. That’s a common factor. But Bitti was a little bratty, bit of a brash tom-boyish girl. Rashmi is ambitious and more open-minded. What also makes them different is their upbringing and where they have done their education from. Bitti is educated, but she has stayed in Bareilly all her life, in her cocoon. Though she questions a lot of things but still, doesn’t have aspirations. She is okay marrying someone who would accept her the way she is.

Here, Rashmi is way more strong headed. She has done her education in New Delhi. She had a boy friend. She is aspirational for all the boys in Mathura. She doesn’t want to rush into it but make the choice on her own time. She will marry someone whom she loves and is sure of. She is okay to go for a live-in. She is also gutsy. The deciding factor is her. That’s where she is very different from Bitti.

Q. From glamorous roles in films like Dilwale and Heropanti, you have gone de-glam, opting for small-town stories of late. Was that the plan?

Today if I get an urban role with a great concept, I would go for it. But, yes, a lot more small-town scripts are being made. Also, it is very relatable to see that kind of romance, to see those small-town characters. Those nuances which come from such things add a little flavour. I tried that for the first time in Bareilly Ki Barfi, and it worked and gave me confidence that I can move to a different genre and world. So I became willing to take the risk. I have become way more confident now. Bareilly opened a lot of doors for me because before that people didn’t see me as a small-town girl. They wondered if I was the right casting. After that, I have only been getting small-town roles (laughs).

Q. All the songs in Luka Chuppi are recreated versions. Do you think a remixed album does not have a shelf life as against an original one?

I love recreated numbers. If I love a 90s track and that’s given to me right now with a little more chaat-masala, there’s nothing like it. Recreated numbers do tend to do well because there is a recall value. You know that song, it’s like yours. Like the song “Poster Lagwa Do” goes very well with the theme of our film. Dinesh Vijan (producer) thought if he is putting one recreated song, it rather be the entire album. It’s unfair to put one recreated number in a music composer’s original album because the remix tends to shoot up faster and gets liked more, so it takes away from the original album. He collected regional singers’ songs. Also, all these regional singers have millions of views and are doing so well. They also deserve a platform which opens them up to a larger audience and a broader reach.

Also read: If everyone becomes a hero, someone needs to be hero’s friend too: Aparshakti Khurana

Q. You have already worked with names like Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Akshay Kumar. Will you call yourself lucky?

To even watch them perform in front of you is very surreal. They make your performance better. You tend to react to them so well because they are so good. I have been fortunate to get such opportunities. I have not had a theatre or TV background. So I have learnt and grown with every film. And that’s how I want my life to go on. I want to not be satisfied and grow with every film otherwise you will get stagnant.

Shah Rukh sir (on the sets of Dilwale) used to share how he approaches a scene. He told me something that stayed with me, that there’s no right way of doing a scene. It’s just the way you choose.

Q. Do you think you have finally found your footing in Bollywood, or you still think you are an outsider?

I am way more comfortable for sure. Whether it is the kind of opportunities I am getting or feeling at home in filmy parties, it has become better. I am not born and brought up here, so I don’t know everybody. There’s still a bit of awkwardness. But I have gone from completely being out of place to a little comfortable. But I still feel like there is so much more I want to do and so many directors I really want to work with. All that is not on my table at this point, which I would love it to be.