Dream Sequence

Almost a decade into the game, Sayani Gupta is on track to transform herself from a multifaceted artist to a multidimensional one. But at heart, she remains an actor’s actor

- NIDHI GUPTA

BLAZER BY LOVEBIRDS. DRESS BY NOTEBOOK. SNEAKERS BY DIOR

By the time Sayani Gupta has downed her second mimosa at Sorrentina in Bandra, the sun has set and the paps have arrived. “God, I’m so bad at these things,” exclaims the actor, pleading with her publicist for an exit route.

“I don’t go to Bollywood parties because I just cannot deal,” she’s told me moments earlier. “All these upcoming actors call me up and ask for two things: recommendations for stylists and tips on PR. And I’m like, ‘What makes you think I’m good at that?’ I’ve massive social anxiety. If you put me in a room with six or more people, you will not be able to find me. But if it’s just you and me, you will fall in love with me.”

Of course, Gupta knows that if you don’t schmooze (“a word I’ve learned recently,” she rolls her eyes), you lose. But listening to her talk for nearly two hours, as she ruminates on a pepperoni pizza, and over her extraordinary life, it’s clear that Gupta also knows exactly where her appeal lies. More importantly, she knows her mind and her purpose. She’s here to make and engage with quality cinema.