"I am Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter. I always will be and I have no qualms about being known as that. I am bred in the industry since birth and am pretty much able to handle whatever is thrown at me." That’s the confidence a new entrant brings along, knowing the fact that she will be known all her life as Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter. So what? Just for the record: Yes, Sonakshi Sinha is every bit as cute, charming and innocent looking in person, as she gets preparing for her debut role opposite Salman Khan. Why is that relevant? Well, because it’s difficult to imagine anyone being as cute, charming and innocent to play a lead with the mighty Khan. Recently, somewhere in Khar, at her apartment, we had an extended conversation with Sinha, and over a cup of coffee, she discussed her acting, her family and the critical choices that will define her career. She was delightful, bubbly and chatty when it came to talking about the majority of subjects ranging from her childhood, star parents, her two twin brothers - Luv and Kush, her fashion and ramp stories, her closeness to the ’Khan’ family - Salman, Arbaaz and Sohail and her big and risky leap into the big bad world of acting. Presenting you the new found pearl from the oyster - the fearless Sonakshi Sinha.
"Luv has just finished his first movie called Sadiyan as an actor and is waiting for its release. He has brought the whole Indo-Pakistan feel to it. It’s a family drama. Kush has assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Saawariya. He is finally looking to direct films but wants to do it through acting. Kush had signed a Zee Film which is on hold due to recession. Most of our conversation revolves around our future and films. Whenever we sit on our breakfast table or lunch, we discuss films. My father, mother and brothers have so much insight and experience about cinema that I couldn’t have asked for more. Luv, Kush and I criticise each other a lot. Criticism is the topic of discussion when we three talk. We are each others worst critics. Since both have seen more of cinema than me, they take the upper hand."
"I am papa’s girl. I am the pampered child in the family and being the youngest you deserve it, don’t you? Every time he went out, he had to bring me a bunch of toys. But luckily, I wasn’t spoilt by the numerous gifts and toys coming my way when I was a kid. Thanks to my mother, she had a big role to play in that. What’s more, even today, you won’t see me carrying a Louis Vuitton bag and going out every night to party. I’m more of a home buddy and that credit goes to my mother."
"I don’t have any friends from the film industry. They are mere acquaintances. I have my own set of friends with whom I hang out with. Yes, my parents took me out to parties but it mainly used to be for them. They were thrown for the older bunch. The lifestyle of film industry children is something I wouldn’t relate to right now. May be later when I absolutely have to socialise, I will. Right now I am keeping well in my own little world."
"Four years ago I used to be this round chubby child with spectacles. I was nowhere thinking to enter films. I was planning to enter the fashion world instead. I did my fashion designing for three years from SNDT. I did extremely well in that. I was the Student Of The Year and wanted to pursue fashion designing. Then I started going as a volunteer at the Lakme Fashion Week. While doing all this, I became conscious of myself and wanted to walk the ramp too. That’s when I started losing weight and landed up walking for six designers. I picked up modelling from my mother who was a model in her days and won the Miss India crown too. She has been and will always be an inspiration. I wanted to break the mould because I felt that all the models were skinny, whereas the normal Indian woman isn’t like them. At the moment, I am healthy, fit and trying to shed more kilos for my role. My dream would be to walk the ramp for the international designer Valentino."
"Salman bhai and family are very close friends since childhood. Salman bhai was the one who encouraged me while I was losing weight. He kept telling me, "Lose some weight and we’ll do a film together." He further added, "Lose ten kilos." Well, I ended up losing thirty. Sohail Khan saw me at Amrita Arora’s wedding and said, "I am going to call you soon." He did end up calling me and came to my house for the narration with Arbaaz Khan and Abhinav, the director of Dabang. I had this thing in mind before I did my first Bollywood film. I never wanted to do something that I am in real life. Dabang has me transformed into the village. It’s a different side of me. I took it up as a challenge."
"What I have learnt and would want to carry with me from my dad and the people from his era is the confidence they had. They weren’t the best of lookers. They weren’t having toned physique; they weren’t taking their shirts off, etc. Just by being yourself and projecting your personality is all that matters. That’s what impresses me about the yesteryear era. From today’s era, looking stunning, grooming, staying fit and slim is what is essential to survive. I prefer actors like Konkana Sen Sharma and Chitrangada Singh who bring something different. They are my personal favourite choice."
"My dad uses the ’K’ word all the time. In general conversations too he will put it. If you can manage to pull off something like that, you are bound to be the one piece original. Shatrughan Sinha does not imitate anyone, yet the whole wide world imitates him. He has come up from nowhere. From being a nothing in Patna, Bihar, to doing films and then becoming the first Cabinet Minister from Bollywood is a big leap for a man of his stature."
"We all have read about his sense of humour in Filmfare. My favourite answer of his is when someone questions him - Are you happily married? To which he answers - ’I am married and my wife is happy.’ My father has a scar next to his lips and I remember him telling me that he will never change anything about himself. I too have a scar on my eye brow and that for me is my trademark. I would not want to change it for anything."
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