On Top Of Her Game

More in demand than she's ever been, Kriti Sanon is making a smooth transition from a talented, pretty face to a seasoned actress

- Barry Rodgers

Kriti Sanon straddles the line between counter and pop culture in a way few talents before her have ever achieved. In just a short time, the compelling 28-year-old has captured the hearts of filmmakers and fashion mavens alike – all the while staying in control of her career and image without compromise. And now, Sanon is set for a whirlwind year in her career, with four films ready for release in 2019. “It’s been a crazy 2018. I was shooting in different locations for most of last year. But despite the hectic schedules, I’ve always constantly been willing to try new things. Nothing has ever been given to me on a platter as much as it may look that way. It’s never been easy. Sometimes roles have felt a bit too much, but the calling to act has always stopped me from walking away from it,” says Sanon, who agreed to a late-night telephonic interview despite wrapping up a 12-hour shoot in Karjat, a city near Mumbai, for Ashutosh Gowariker’s upcoming period drama, Panipat. For Sanon, essaying the role of Parvatibai, the wife of Maratha army leader Sadashivrao Bhao (who faced the Afghans, led by Ahmad Shah Durrani in the Third Battle of Panipat) has been her “most challenging yet”. “There is a certain way that my character speaks in the film. There’s a strong Marathi flavour, and since I’m born and brought up in Delhi, it’s been quite new for me. I did take Marathi lessons for the part,” she says, adding that she doesn’t follow a particular method when approaching roles. “I’m not a method actor. I usually go with the flow and pick up cues on how to approach a character while on set,” she says.