EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! Sharvari: Success For Me Is Going To Bed Knowing That I Did My Best

'I Remember My Sister And My Mother Having Tears In Their Eyes'

Q. How did your family react when they watched you as a Yash Raj heroine on the big screen considering they don't hail from the showbiz?

A. When my parents watched the trailer, I remember my sister and my mother having tears in their eyes. We are at Yash Raj Studios watching it together; even Siddhant (Chaturvedi)'s parents were there. My mom and my sister started crying. The director got so scared and he was like 'I have made a comedy film, why are you all crying?' (laughs). So, they were emotional watching me on screen. It was a beautiful and proud moment for my parents, sister and my friends. They really supported me through tough times.

Q. And what was your reaction? Were you critical about yourself?

A. I don't know. I enjoy watching myself on screen. I was a little critical during The Forgotten Army because that was my first time and I didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't sure. But I think because after The Forgotten Army, there was a certain amount of love that I did receive for what I had done, which made me feel slightly more confident going into Bunty Aur Babli 2. It was a comedy film and there were so many craziness happening in it that I was actually enjoying watching the thing.

Q. You worked with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji who are known to be two of the finest actors in the country. Did you have a fan girl moment on the sets?

A. Of course. I remember the first time when I and Siddhant met them for the reading, we were trying to put our A-game forward because we didn't want them to think of us as 'kaccha limbu' (laughs). That day, we were very professional. But when we went on the sets, the first time when we had to actually perform with them, we forgot that we were there as actors. We thought that we were just there to see some shoot because we couldn't find dialogues coming from our mouths. We were just enamored looking at them in their elements and performing. It was one of the most memorable things about our film.

'I Was Very Secure Even Through The Lockdown'

Q. A year back when I had interviewed you, I remember you telling me that you don't want to create any perception; you just want to be yourself and keep doing films. Now that you are one film old, what has been your biggest takeaway so far from the experiences?

A. I think the biggest takeaway from the film would be to just work hard and be patient about it. The last few years has been all about patience not just for our industry but for everyone. It teaches you so much because when you are patient and work hard, somewhere you know that you have done your best.

I was feeling very secure even through the lockdown because I had put my best foot forward. With all the knowledge that I had at that time, I did my best. The fact that it is getting appreciated just teaches you so much that working hard is all you can.

Q. At this juncture in your career, how do you measure success and failure? What does success mean to you?

A. For me, success is going back home, going to bed knowing that I did my best. I think that not just in terms of being on sets but also as a person. If I have done my best for the day and I am getting a good night's sleep, then I think it's success enough for me for the day.

Q. You gave your first audition in 2014 and your first film released in 2021. It has been a big struggle for you to reach this stage. How did you manage to keep yourself motivated for all these seven years because like you had previously told me you didn't have a backup plan or a Plan B?

A. I just wanted it too badly. That's literally the only simple answer to this. It was and still is my dream to be actor, to perform on screen and be able to live so many lives and to experience what we do as an actors. For me, that's all that I kept seeing.

Through these last seven years, I was probably not getting the kind of work that I wanted to. Going forward was about going on. I remember I used to sit in all these lines of auditions where there were so many actors with me. With so many people wanting to do the same role and same ad, it just keeps you going because you know that there are so many people out there wanting the same thing as you do. So, they were just as inspiring to me as other people who were already established.

'If There's A Great Story To Tell And Great Characters To Play, I Think People Will Come And Watch You'

Q. What advice would one film old Sharvari like to give to Sharvari who had given her first audition in 2014?

A. That things may always seem uncertain and you might think that this or that is going to help you make it. You might have a preconceived notion of where you are going at. But I think what I might tell myself is that just keep going and working hard with your head on your shoulder and feet on your ground and soar high.

Q. Generally it's seen that after an actor does his/her first film, there's always some pressure as everybody is very curious to know what that person is going to do next. Does that get on to you or you're chilled about taking your own time to pick the script of your interest?

A. You are right that there are a lot of people who are curious to know what you are going to do next. But as an actor, I think it's very easy. If anyone tells you otherwise, it's not true because at the end of the day, it's about what excites you to work on for the next six months as you are doing that every day of your life. It's quite a task because you have to get inside a role and a story. It's like living a different life. If something excites you and you are like this is what I want to do for the next eight-nine months of my life, then that's the easy answer.

Q. In the last couple of years, there has been a huge transformation in the way women characters are written on paper. At this point in your career, if someone approaches you to spearhead a film, would you be all game for it or do you feel you need to do more movies to strengthen your shoulders?

A. I think today content is the king. People have evolved and also the way in which they watch content. If there's a great story to tell and if there are great characters to play, I think people will come and watch it. I truly believe that. In today's time, even if it's a film or an OTT, we have seen this change as a lot of shows that people didn't even know have made an impact.

Look at Scam 1992. I hadn't heard about it until I watched the show. It's my favourite show of 2020. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, people are just here to watch good content. So, I would definitely take up anything that I think will excite me and the audience enough to watch it.

'For Me, It Doesn't Matter If It's A Smaller Role In Terms Of Duration Or A Role With A Really Big Star Or With Somebody Fairly New'

Q. Speaking about the hardcore commercial films, it's still the hero's burden to carry the film. Would you be willing to do a film like that if it's with a big star?

A. It's very easy; it's about what the script and the role is. For me, it doesn't matter if it's a smaller role like in terms of duration or the role is with a really big star or with somebody fairly new. At the end of the day, everyone will judge you on the basis of your performance. I feel that it's my responsibility to the people who have loved me and call themselves fans of mine. I owe to them good work.

Q. Being an actress in today's times is not just restricted to acting on screen. It is also about social media presence and branding. In short, it's a whole package thing. How do you look at this scenario?

A. I come from the Gen Z or millennial phase whatever people call it where social media has pretty much been around in our lives irrespective of whether you are an actor or not. I have friends who click more and better pictures than mine. People won't believe it but I swear I am a photographer when it comes to my friends. They make me click their pictures. For us, it's just a very common thing and social media doesn't come with a certain amount of pressure where you have show a certain personality.

I have been on Facebook since I was in school. We are kind of used to this. For us, it's still fun. But I think when you make it seem like something stressful then it would add on to your stress. If you just keep it up as fun then I think it will be fine.