Rebel Belle

Working indie cred with commercial success, actor— and now producer— ANUSHKA SHARMA refuses to play it safe. She’s also not afraid to embrace the F-word (we’re talking feminism!), says Vatsala Chhibber.

- Vatsala Chhibber

ANUSHKA SHARMA IS HAVING A GOOD DAY. IN FACT, SHE'S BEEN HAVING A FEW GOOD YEARS NOW! She’s sprawled along the L-curve of her couch, her hair is up, her denims are relaxed, her family is next door and her almond-milk cappuccino is just strong enough. For Sharma, perfection is in the details. Her sea-facing apartment in Mumbai is flooded with the subtle glow of the evening sun and soft growls from her three-year-old Labrador, Dude, fill the living room. I catch her right after a meeting with her brother and now business partner Karnesh, where the duo have just outlined a rough two-year plan for their production company, Clean Slate Films. When I ask for details, she shakes her head firmly, but her broad almost cheeky grin confirms a few hidden aces, at the very least.

As we settle into a steady stream of banter, she lets slip the little don’t-care moments that epitomise her as an actor: “One day Karan Johar was making fun of my [last-season] bag and I told him, I don’t give a f**k. It does its job and I’m going to use it,” she laughs, her sentences typically accelerated. “I’m not an extravagant person. But I’ll be honest; people send me free stuff, so I’m very fortunate.” In an industry that prefers to speak in banal platitudes, Sharma’s is a voice that stands out. She’s frank and forthright about problems at work, embraces awkwardness with open arms and narrates her anecdotes with disarming candour. It makes getting to know her wholly enjoyable.

SHE’S ALL THAT