When a Celebrity Shifts Gears

For actress Kriti Sanon, 2023 has been a year of accomplishments. She won her first National Film Award for best actress for Mimi. She also launched two new ventures-skincare brand Hyphen and production company Blue Butterfly Filmsand has been pouring her heart and mind into both. In an interview with Outlook Business, Sanon talks about her growth as an actor, deep commitment to her companies and future plans

KRITI SANON

Being an engineering student, what inspired you to enter Bollywood? How did you manage to succeed without having a famous mentor or surname?

I think there are a lot of people who do not know what they really want to do in life, and they just make choices based on their feeling at that point. I did not know what an engineer would do but I chose that subject because I felt it was something that I might develop liking towards. I started modelling when I was in the second year of B.Tech, and I started doing some TV commercials. That is when I realised that I enjoyed the shooting process, and I could act. I was always into dance since childhood but acting was something that I had never given a shot. So, I finished my B.Tech, moved to Mumbai and started giving auditions.

I told my parents that I would take GMAT entrance exam while I also try for films so that, if things do not work out, I have a good score to fall back on. They were very concerned, but at the same time, they gave me the freedom to follow my heart and to run after my dreams.

I have been blessed and fortunate that I got a great first film which not too many people end up getting.