Tailor Made

Her debut movie has released over a week ago to welcome box office collections, but model-turned-actor Anushka Sharma...

Anushka Sharma on making a dream debut with Shah Rukh Khan and the Yash Raj camp

Her debut movie has released over a week ago to welcome box office collections, but model-turned-actor Anushka Sharma, who acted opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, is just about letting the feeling of relief sink in. 8220;Acting in commercials is a completely different ball game than acting in movies. There8217;s so much that you need to keep in mind, I was quite anxious. But I enjoyed being in front of the camera. I think I8217;d rather do this,8221; says the girl from Bangalore, who shifted base to Mumbai, when her Bollywood aspirations took shape a couple of years ago.

For someone who has been signed up by Yash Raj films for a three-film contract, it8217;s probably the least of pre-requisites needed for a long stint in Bollywood, but at the moment, Sharma is just happy with the fairy-tale turn her career has taken. 8220;Sometimes you cannot believe that something so good can happen to you. Shah Rukh, Adi are the kind of people, whose films you look forward to as an audience. I was quite taken aback when the offer came my way,8221; she says.

Shooting with Shah Rukh, of course, was a breeze. 8220;The first day I was shooting with him, I was quite nervous. But he8217;s such a livewire around the sets that I was soon at ease,8221; she laughs. In fact, for the biking sequence in the movie, when Sharma was doing her Dhoom act, a quirky accident landed her off the bike. 8220;Shah Rukh rose to the occasion and did his hero act then, breaking my fall and saving me from getting hurt,8221; she recalls.

It was the actor too, who gave the newcomer her first token of approval after the film was canned. 8220;When the entire shoot was over, Shah Rukh told me, 8216;Thank you for making the

film so beautiful8217;. I was extremely touched by his compliment,8221; she says.

Now that the movie is behind her, Sharma is looking forward to her next with the Yash Raj camp. 8220;Adi has been really busy with the film8217;s promotion and we haven8217;t had much time to sit down and discuss what next, but with so many bright talented directors in their stable, I am sure whatever it will be, will be quite exciting. I am looking forward to playing something quite different from Tani,8221; she says.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More