Sonakshi Sinha: I am not into competing,but bettering myself

Sinha recently took everyone by surprise when she played the asthma and tuberculosis-afflicted simple Bengali girl Paakhi in Lootera,a film set in the ’50s. Calling it ‘a beautiful film made with a wonderful team’,she says,“People have really liked the film. My decision to do the film (despite being advised against it by friends),the hard work and meeting the challenges of shooting have all paid off.”

It’s common knowledge that besides shooting hiccups like her co-star Ranveer Singh’s injury,the film was completed amid unpredictable heavy snowfall in Dalhousie that at times put the shooting off gear. However,not all challenges stemmed from external factors.

Besides,trying to synchronize her working style with that of her co-star,Singh and director Vikramaditya Motwane,the actress found it tough to play an asthmatic patient. “I am known to be this hatta katta girl with no history of illness — in short a picture of health. I had never seen a person getting an asthma attack before. To make my breathlessness look convincing,without veering towards the caricaturish or silly,was a huge challenge for me. Apart from that,I had to tune in with Ranveer and Vikramaditya’s style of working. They both come from the same school of thought and believe in being thoroughly prepared before coming on the sets,while I prefer to be spontaneous.

Initially,I used to land on the sets and ask,‘Achaa aaj kya kar rahe hain?’,they would go ‘WHAT!’ I told them that this is how I work! Gradually,we met midway and got in tune with each other,” she chuckles,adding that she’s happy that she did the film as she believes that intense romantic film like Lootera comes once in a lifetime.

“It’s the kind of love that refuses to die despite Ranveer’s character turning out to be a thief; it is unlike the love stories being made today. The scene where he has to leave just when they realise their love for each other,and she comes to him with so much hope and vulnerability is heart-wrenching! Everything about the film is so poetic,thanks to Vikramaditya’s power of vision,” she sighs.

If Lootera is an intense romance set in the ‘50s,then her upcoming film Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara is a gangster love triangle set in the ’80s; she’ll be seen romancing two heroes,Akshay Kumar and Imran Khan for the first time on screen…Ask her about doing two period films,and she instantly springs back to tell you that there’s a difference. “But both the films are in completely different spaces,” she stresses,adding. “It’s interesting to do things which transport you into another world,things which I have not experienced. It’s both challenging and a joy to discover that life. And Milan Luthria is such a perfectionist when it comes to detailling. I could feel the old world around me. Besides,he refuses to take a shot if he feels everything is not in place. Like the streets of old Mumbai that he visualised and recreated at Film City Studios — I felt like I was walking on Mohammad Ali Road.”

The shooting of her next venture Rambo Rajkumar with Shahid Kapoor is almost complete. And Sinha’s thrilled to be working with Prabhudheva,who’s helming the film,again.

“I can see no change in Prabhu sir since I worked with him in Rowdy Rathore. He is unapologetic about the kind of cinema he believes in — the have to be hardcore entertainers. I really like the films he makes and his style of working. In Rambo,I play this girl,who is ready to take on the goondas. I told Prabhu sir that he has made me more rowdy than I was in Rowdy Rathore! I will be working with him in yet another film with Ajay Devgn and am looking forward to it.

I think I have become half South Indian by now,and my third film with Prabhu sir,will complete the process,” she quips.

The shooting of yet another Akshay Kumar star-rer Thupakki is underway. Except for a song,she has also almost completed her work in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Bullet Raja. Both the films will have her playing a modern girl.

She has also signed Sanjay Kapoor produced film,which is a remake of the Telugu hit Okkaduand will have her starring opposite Arjun Kapoor.

The actress sure is doing fine for someone who draws a line when it comes to skimpy clothes and kissing. But what about Dabangg 3? Is it true that she’s not a part of the film? “The article that appeared about Dabangg 3 was blown out of proportion. All I have heard about it is that it’s a prequel — of things happening before Chulbul Pandey meets Rajjo.

I am fine with that,but the best person to tell you anything about the film is Arbaaz Khan himself,” she says.

Another film that Sinha is tightlipped about is her home production,which is in the scripting stage. The film being produced by her brother Luv,may also star her in it. Films and family is all that matters to Sinha; and she’s quite happy and content that her parents — Shatrughan and Punam Sinha support her in all that she does. Though they don’t dictate their terms to her,Sinha respects it when they give their opinion.

“My mom was present at the trial of Lootera with her friends. She couldn’t believe that it was her daughter on screen.

I later learnt that she told a friend that one can ever know what one’s children are capable of and can sometimes take you by surprise!” For one,who never really made her desire to act in films apparent to her parents,but found films like Dabangg just falling into her lap,Sinha has done well for herself from the word go.

From Dabangg to Dabangg 2,from Rowdy Rathore to Son Of Sardaar,all did stupendous business.

With the industry already predicting her as a contender for the top slot,what kind of pressure does that put on her? “It’s always nice when people appreciate your work. It is always a positive thing that people think highly about me,but I take each film as a learning experience. I am not into competing,but only bettering myself. It’s important that I enjoy my work,and focus on that. I don’t follow who is doing which film,nor am in competition to look like a particular actress. I am just happy being myself,” she smiles.