STREAMING BEAUTY

Small SCREEN, big wonder. Our cover star SOBHITA DHULIPALA speaks to BAZAAR INDIA on finding her feet, WALKING TOWARDS her GOALS, and now SPRINTING to success in her CINEMATIC journey.

- SONAL VED

I met Sobhita Dhulipala on a weekend, exactly a week away from when the next season of her OTT series was to be out. I remember seeing her and thinking, “I don't know about the show, but Sobhita’s symmetric jawline, defined collarbones, and athletic poise, are definitely made in heaven”. Her character Tara Khanna, has been spoken about more than any of her former roles (Isha Khanna in Bard of Blood or Neha in Ghost Stories), mainly for her incontrovertible performance and the plot’s strong relatability for anyone who has attended a tawdry Delhi wedding.

From the subjects that the series and her character tackle—skin whitening, dowry, domestic abuse, sexual identity, cast infidelity—you know Sobhita wants to be a thinking person’s actor.

The plot, though, comes a close second to why Sobhita was much talked-about at the Bazaar cover girl meeting. Her sartorial choices in Made In Heaven are a character of their own, just like Balli Sehrawat’s physique was, in another Netflix series, Class. Fashion girls will agree—if there is one wardrobe they’d want to raid after Nalini Vishwakumar’s (played by Poorna Jagannathan) in Never Have I Ever, it would be Tara’s. From a peach Torani sari, the houndstooth patterned suit, an archival Sabyasachi floral bodycon that became her revenge dress, to the silver Raw Mango drape, Sobhita’s character drops looks as swiftly as South Delhi aunties chug scotch at sundowners in the south of France.

In an exclusive interview with Bazaar India, she speaks about what beauty means to her, how her work is instrumental in shaping her as a person, and more. Excerpts from our conversation with this OTT star.