There Is a Lot More to Anushka Sharma Than Just Virat Kohli

Anushka Sharma reveals some bitter truths about the Indian film industry on a chat show

Anushka Sharma reveals all (Photo courtesy: Youtube/FilmCompanion altered by The Quint)

While the media did stories on what Anushka Sharma said about Virat Kohli on Anupam Chopra’s FaceTime with Anushka Sharma, there’s a lot more to this actress than just her cricketer boyfriend. Anushka also spoke about her new found passion of being a producer and how she wants to change the perception of women in Indian cinema.

Anushka Loves Drunk People

I used to drink but then I just stopped one day. I used to feel not so good the next day. I would wake up in the morning and just not feel good. So I was like just for those few hours, I don’t wanna go through a whole day of downer, so I just stopped drinking.

Anushka Sharma: I used to drink but then I just stopped one day

And I don’t even think I need to, I have so much energy that I think I need to take something else to calm me down. In fact, I get really happy in parties when people drink because I am like finally finally they are coming to my level and I can really behave like I really want to. It’s amazing when you don’t drink in parties and everybody comes to you and tell you things and you are listening to it. It’s like a superpower when you don’t drink

Anushka On Being a Producer

It’s actually about being able to create something, being able to bring people together who have a different point of view, who are telling you stories which is unique and to be able to put all that together. I think that is something you have control over. Apart from that it’s a lot of <i>magajmari</i>, you know, like pitching films, like going back and forth on budget. I mean <i>yahan pe kaato waha pe kaato </i>and it’s just like<i> kaato kaato kaato </i>and you are just like<i> please banane do please banane do.</i>

Anushka Sharma: We are developing three scripts right now, two have already been developed.

We are developing three scripts right now, two have already been developed. So you let the writer write. I trust them, we know what they are doing. Yes, you can jam with them. It’s like a creative process, like what two musicians would do, right? That you do. You sit and talk about it, that is a very fulfilling feeling. I had a meeting with the writer and we were discussing some concepts. I was telling my brother I feel happiest doing this. This and when I am acting. Everything else that happens around it is sometimes too taxing for me, but these things are what really gets me going. So the ability to be able to do that is very very rewarding and I feel very grateful for it.

Anushka on Women in Films

Girls are just expected to be like good looking, look nice and just be enough interesting for a guy to fall for you. Women doing films together, they only come together in a film if there is a boy involved. I think firstly in India, I would say that it’s also reflective of our society that’s the way they want to look at women.

Anushka: Men can work as long as they want to even if they age and women are only ok till they are young, they are only desirable.

One huge example for this is that men can work as long as they want to, even if they age it’s fine, they are still heroes, they are still superheroes and they are still amazing and cool and all of that, which is fine, I don’t have a problem with that, but why is it that women are only ok till they are young, they are only desirable? Think about it, desirable means that there is a sexual connotation attached to it. So we are actually looking at women in that way in films only. Till that does not change, I am not saying objectification of women but just what you are bringing to the film other than your beauty and your <i>nakhra</i>. Till that doesn’t change, we are going to be in that situation.

Anushka Reveals Bollywood’s Gender Bias

If there is an actor who is probably at the same stature as me, he would still get paid more than me because he is a guy. You always feel that discrimination, you know and it’s just not with money but it’s in general, in terms of like, I swear to God! If you are in an outdoor schedule you know the guy will get a better room than you. Why does that need to happen? I am sure that every hotel has two really good rooms right? If there is an option of giving an actor a better room, you would give an actor (hero) a better room.

Anushka: A male newcomer and a female newcomer will get paid different money

It’s just assumed that men need more money like why? I think people think that men need to run a family and that’s why they need more money and women don’t and they are looked after. I think that’s the thing, <i>tumhare liye itna he bahut hai</i> because you are being looked after. Maybe I don’t want to get married, maybe I want to get married, it doesn’t matter. It’s the value that I am talking about. At the end of the day you want respect. When you are paying me less money you are telling me that you are not as valuable.