We have a summer crush on Sobhita Dhulipala, who blazed on our screens recently with Made In Heaven. In this web-series, Dhulipala plays the lead—a Delhi-based wedding planner who navigates manic shaadi-crazed families, tough choices and her own crumbling marriage. A Miss India winner, the 26-year-old made her screen debut with Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 in 2016, going on to act in Chef (2017), Kaalakaandi (2018) and the Telugu film Goodachari (2018).
Since the release of Made In Heaven in March, Dhulipala’s performance has received as much acclaim as the series itself. We discover a different side to the actor, however, when she describes herself as “a museum freak".
We are at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, an almost-150-year-old landmark. The heritage institution is Mumbai’s oldest museum, bringing together antiquities and contemporary art. This month, for instance, you can find multimedia installations by Sarnath Banerjee sharing space with Ganjifa cards from the late 19th century.
It’s Dhulipala’s first trip to this museum, and she takes in a cascading chandelier, the aged but well-maintained interiors and the naval dioramas. As we walk around, a line of schoolchildren bustle about, taking notes and chatting excitedly.
We ask Dhulipala to tell us her recipe for the perfect summer. Edited excerpts:
Your idea of summer fashion
I love cottons, dewy skin—maybe just flushed cheeks and lips. Sandals and some great country music that puts a swing in my stride. My go-to attire for this season is a vintage summer dress.
Your favourite summer memory
Pouring fruit slush into the ice tray to eat when it’s frozen (like a starved savage, basically).
Your favourite summer memory
Pouring fruit slush into the ice tray to eat when it’s frozen (like a starved savage, basically).
Films that define summer
Summer to me isn’t defined by films or books. It is actually a state of mind, you know? Summer is also some special people.
City explorations for this season
Walks in and about town. At the dockyards, which aren’t commercialized yet, one really gets a glimpse of the city that Mumbai truly was. I will be going on a museum marathon soon.
To cool off—the beach or the mountains?
The beach!
Bikini or a one-piece when you hit the beach?
A bikini and bare feet.
The book you are reading at the moment
Currently reading essays by Naguib Mahfouz (find my book-of-the-month section on my Instagram).
Designers you love
Huemn has such cool street-style clothes. I also heartily enjoy wearing Indian clothes. I am a silk-sari hoarder and have an undying love for Persian embroidery and Chikankari work.
Your summer colour this year
A zesty yellow. I bought so many yellow things recently, my cupboard looks like it has jaundice.
A summer trend you are glad is over
When non-breathable fabrics are worn purely because they are trendy.
Photographs: Shweta Sharma; Styling: Yvonne Monteiro; Hair and make-up: Mitesh Rajani
