'I Am Living My Dream Right Now' Sanya Malhotra

Coming from a Delhi based Punjabi family, the young diva defied the conventional aspirations of a millennial and dreamt exorbitantly high of shining on the silver screen.

Little did she know, her dream would come true — far lesser than the reality when she shared the screen space with Aamir Khan, the perfectionist of Bollywood in her debut. Sanya Malhotra (SM) made her debut with ‘Dangal’, a cinematographical drama based on former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, and the world felt the appulse of her talent. The effervescent Sanya Malhotra is not just an actor. She is a passionate dancer, an avid reader and a fierce risk-taker. Along, in her stride, she brings a breeze of freshness to Bollywood. In a candid conversation with Wedding Affair (WA), she shares her journey, her inspirations, her dreams and much more.

WA: From ‘Dance India Dance’ to ‘Badhaai Ho’, it’s been a long journey. What kept you motivated during your days of struggle?

SM: I think when I came to Mumbai for ‘Dance India Dance’, I had my own set of inhibitions. While growing up, I was not that close to my father but things changed when I came to Mumbai. My father became the pillar of my strength. There were times wherein I had no work and no callbacks from casting agents. My impatience would grow leaps and bounds. I would call my father and ask whether I should come back. It was my father who encouraged me and asked me not to worry, after all Rome was not built in a day. Since then, he has always been encouraging me. Today, If I face any issue, he is the one I call. While shooting ‘Dangal’, I never thought my life would change so much but I am glad to get roles different from my debut. With the kind of artists I am getting to work with, it’s been a wonderful journey which has taught me a lot along the way. I am just having a lot of fun.

WA: Did you always know that you will be an actress?