Transcription
So, at home, there must have been fights too. In which marriage are there no fights? Please, of course, arguments happen. And I always win. Did it ever feel like a fight happened because of my immature actions? Later, I didn’t feel immature; it was you.
In your first movie, how much money did you make? I think, for a guess, maybe… in school, beauty-wise, you were the only one who was the most… I was a very big tomboy, brother. So yes, beauty’s name… in school, beauty’s name… that’s why Akshay ji named you…
Exactly. And this is our small special episode with a special guest. And the special guest is Miss Universe Lara Dutta. From Miss Universe title to Bollywood and now as an entrepreneur, she has done a lot of things in her life. Today we will know some of them. So enjoy the special podcast. [Music]
Ma’am, welcome to the Curious Bites with Sunwal TCB. And I am sorry to say but, Lara Paaji, how are you? This is the name of the industry itself, Lara Paaji. This is all Akshay’s mischief. So, Akshay sir still calls you by this name? Absolutely. We both call each other Paaji Paaji, right?
So, I was listening over there. I said, let’s start with this from Ma’am, first of all. So from Ghaziabad to Bangalore and then from Bangalore to Mumbai, and then all over the world, everywhere. And getting the prestigious Miss Universe title, and then in Bollywood, in your first movie itself, you took the debut award. What’s driving you next? Because I heard in an interview you said, “I am financially at a very good level right now. Food, everything is done. I have traveled to all the cities of the world.” But now what next? Because you have also taken a step in spirituality and also did the Art of Living course. So what next is driving you?
See, next is always this, right? That if every decade you go through in your age, you have different experiences, then you always find something new in it. You find something new, and today my biggest excitement is… you say, what is the most driving force? If you say that, it’s my consumers. I want my… as you said, I have had so much experience as a beauty queen, as an actor, as a mother, as an entrepreneur. People, in a way, they feel… when I meet people, they feel that no, Lara is her own. Because, maybe people think that they have seen me so much in so many years that there is a familiarity, and this happens that we think that our actors are our own. No, man, these are ours. So I really want that my personality, my own essence, if I can share this with my audience, my consumers, and add some value to their lives, I think that for me today is my driving force, right?
Right. So how were you in school, study-wise? I was smart. No, there was no such problem in school at the moment, in studies. I don’t know. I think maybe genetically, or there was something in the DNA that I read a page, and it stuck in my mind. So in school, beauty-wise, you were the only one who was the most… No, I was a very big tomboy, brother. So yes, beauty’s… there, in school, beauty’s… That’s why Akshay ji named you…
Exactly. And even now, mostly, my personality is quite tomboyish. My co-stars, I don’t do girly things with them. I do stunts with them; we argue with them, but that’s part of who I am.
So before getting the Miss Universe title, at a young age, what compliments did you get the most? Uh, I think, mostly, for my speaking skills. I always used to come first in debate competitions or elocution competitions in my school. So I think from a very young age I had a mastery over being able to communicate. And this is also a blessing that not everyone has. I don’t know how I got it, but it was there.
So as a mom, you are doing very well, and as an actress, everything is going well. And now starting, not just starting but getting at a different level as an entrepreneur. What’s the secret source of doing all things together? The secret source is being passionate about it all, you know, and embracing change in life, embracing the change that comes with aging as well, you know. I genuinely feel that people sometimes get stuck in the past. They think that, no, I was successful in this, so that’s my identity. I think it’s very important that you keep moving forward, you keep challenging yourself. I was a beauty queen, then I became an actress, then I was a producer, today I am a mother, you know. I think it’s important. I always think that okay, today I am in my mid-40s. If I go to 50, what will I do? I am very excited about it. I don’t know myself what I will do, but I know that I will definitely do something, something for sure.
Right. So what is Aray, and how did you start this? So Aray, for me, really is a brand that is very synonymous with who I am and what my life has been over the last 25 years. It’s also a huge emotional brand for me because Aray, if you see, my daughter’s name is Saira. Aray is Saira spelled backward. This was my attempt to always keep her with me. Whatever I do in life, I do it with her, I go with her. And I don’t think you can separate me from being a mother. It’s it’s part and parcel of who I am. And I find that because the brand is also called Aray, there is still a responsibility on it that I want to make sure then that I am building something that has a tremendous amount of value, you know, something that is dependable, that is trustworthy. And at the moment, we started with Aray skin. Over the years, we built out Aray homes with Neil Kamal Homes. Our Aray kids is an eco-conscious brand with FirstCry. And there are a lot of other partnerships that are lined up. And my wish is, I want Aray to be in every home, from children to seniors, a brand that covers you completely. It’s a name that becomes something that you can trust.
As a beauty queen and Aray skincare also you have started, we young generation, can you give some skincare tips? No, I would say keep it simple. Today, we have so many… we get confused. There are so many products. Open social media, and you get a new miracle product that is going to reverse your age, or I don’t know, it’s going to remove your fine lines. So I just feel you need to be gentle with yourself, and this has been my philosophy. I always, you know, I apply makeup every day. I am in front of the camera every day, in front of the lights every day. The more gently you treat yourself, the more your skin will give back to you. So it’s not important to load your face with so many things. Nowadays, I have seen that mostly teenagers spend their entire pocket money on makeup or skin, and today I took this tube, and even half of it is not used. Tomorrow, some new product has arrived, and I throw it aside. And your skin is not something that you know, it’s not an experimental lab. So be gentle with your skin, find products that really work for you, stick with it, just keep your routine simple.
Right. I am a 90s kid who is not more in his 20s, so I am a big fan of, you know, the Indian Express Jodi that we all have been before. And how did your first meeting with Mahesh Bhupati sir happen, and at what point did you feel he is the one?
No, we were both… we were actually partners because Mahesh used to have an entertainment and sports management company, Globosport, and Globosport used to manage me for quite a few years. So I had heard about Mahesh Bhupati, but I had never met him. So when we met, obviously, I think the most important, attractive thing is there in the fact that I am also meeting somebody who is a self-made person, you know. And there is discipline in them too, as a sportsman. He is very, very disciplined. And I think if you want to achieve something in life or reach a certain level, then it is very important to maintain discipline and commitment. And it’s hard to find people who are equally driven. So I think for me, the most attractive thing about Mahesh was the fact that he is a self-made person, very clear, very uncomplicated in his life, also very disciplined. And well, I guess what do they say? In a way, also positive, but of course, it’s attractive.
So both of you are top players in your industries. How is the atmosphere at home? Very good because we constantly talk about films, constantly talk about sports. So the conversation is also interesting. I bring back work, you know. Sometimes, after a 12-hour shoot from the set, when I come back, there is something different for them, something different, you know, conversion. Because they have spent the whole day mostly in the sporting kind of arena. I also get to learn something new when… when I married Mahesh, I didn’t know anything about tennis at the moment. So there also, there was exposure to a whole different world, you know. So again, as you say, if you are open to new experiences, there is so much to see, to learn, to feel. And that’s what keeps you curious and driven.
So at home, there must have been fights too. In which marriage are there no fights? Please, of course, arguments happen. And I always win. Did it ever feel like a fight happened because of my immature actions? Later, I didn’t feel immature; it was you.
Okay. Right. Nowadays, in relationships, trust and insecurities are a very big issue in the young generation. So for them, would you like to give some tips? I would say that there is no such thing that becomes overnight, absolutely, immediately amazing. So I think it’s important that you give time to something, and any relationship is something that is built over time. Disputes will always happen, of course. It’s important to have sensitivity towards somebody. If you think that no, you are disputing, so what do I have to do with you? So in any good conducive relationship, there is a certain amount of sensitivity towards the other person as well. There is respect, very important. If there is no respect in your relationship, then, you know, you don’t bother about the other person. Honesty and truth. Sometimes, to be honest, you also have to be fair because we always think that no, if they know about this, I don’t know if they will stay with me. I don’t think what they will think about me. So we spend so much time in the beginning of a relationship being [music] somewhat compromising. So you don’t have to compromise. I don’t want to take it. Then it disappears, then it’s different. You are constantly changing partners, so give something a little bit of time. It takes time, and it takes effort. Yes, it is very important that they get their own space otherwise they get stuck in the same loop, of course. But don’t create so much space that you both are in different spaces.
Right. Right. So when you started your Bollywood career in 2003 and today, what major differences are you seeing? There are many differences. At the moment, the entire landscape has changed. Today, our OTT platforms are also making such good content, especially for women, the representation is also more. So it’s definitely a different era and time. And I think I am very fortunately lucky to be an actress in the industry to see these changes, you know. It used to be that at the age of 30, your career would end, you know. Today, Neena ji, Ratna Pathak Shah ji, Shabana ji are doing very good work, and it makes you feel yes, there is really good work to look forward to.
In your first movie, how much money did you make? Nothing, brother. Not in the first film, not in the third film, not in the fifth film. Time was definitely found, but I think for a guess, maybe… half a lakh, something like that. What you see now, people, the audience hears that she has signed so many crores, that was a different matter.
Right. Right. Right. Okay. You won the title at the age of 18. So for today’s young generation who wants to make a career in this field or who are still involved, what tips would you give them? No, I would say, of course, keep going, work hard. It’s a wonderful field to be in. Be true to yourself. Don’t lose yourself, you know. In this, I have seen that many girls lose themselves. They don’t know what my limit is. How much I can compromise, how much I can do this. It’s not important. You don’t need to compromise. You just need to know what your authentic self is and be ready to accept that. Whatever your truth is, accept it. But it’s a great field, and I encourage girls, you know, to aim for the sky. Why not?
Right. Thank you. Thank you for your time. And thank you so much. Thank you.