Transcription
[Music] You have given me such a good introduction. I am amazed. You did this, and oh, you did that too. I was only 21 years old when I became Miss Universe. When I participated in Miss Universe, I had no such desire to come to Bollywood. My entire focus was on becoming Miss Universe. My whole life is not just films. Today, I am also a mother, as you said. I am also a wife. I am also a daughter. In every area of life, maintaining a balance is very important. Just being a beautiful face is not going to, you know, keep you in the industry. You might get the first opportunity, the first opportunity is sure to come, but to make a name for yourself there, to make a place for yourself, you also need talent. Look, times have also changed. Earlier, most actresses would have four songs in a film; there were two or four scenes with the hero. So, you would say that the heroine mostly brought cosmetic value to the film. Now that has changed considerably. Today, the kind of characters that are written, the kind of stories that are written, are quite female-centric.
People don't see me much at parties and film award functions and such things because that is not my priority. It is important that you know yourself and decide what is important to you. Everything is possible if you work hard, are dedicated, conduct yourself in a dignified manner, yet remain confident in yourself that you can do this. It is not necessary that you only negotiate and compromise, and only then will something happen. I don't think that's important. [Music] That's right, isn't it? She who, after wearing the crown of Miss Universe, first brought glory to India, then emerged as such a talented and wonderful actress—now she has become a fan favorite. Aside from acting, be it film production, social work, or an inspiring mother, she has excelled in every role. Whether it's the screen or real life, wherever her picture is seen, whatever her character is seen, she has excelled, reaching every height. So let's not waste time and welcome Lara Dutta to Punjab Kesari Navoday Times.
Welcome to Punjab. Thank you so much. You have given me such a good introduction; I am amazed. You did this, and oh, you did that too. Ma'am, ever since we have been watching you, it's like—your name, Sushmita Sen's name, Aishwarya Rai's name—when these names come together, they come before us too, and a smile comes on our faces. We think, yes, yes, this is a name, this is an actress who is evergreen, who is wonderful, for whom we don't have words. How are you? We are very happy to meet you.
Yes, absolutely, and I am feeling very good. Today I am in Chandigarh, and coming here gives me so much happiness. Mostly, whenever I come, it's for very short days; very few opportunities are available, and very little time is available to spend. Whenever I come, I receive so much love here from this city, it feels very good here. Lara Dutta, as I told you earlier, there are some names that always bring joy to the heart. So everyone wants to know something from you. First of all, your journey from Miss Universe to Bollywood, what is it like? As a person, how did that journey, that journey, impact you? How much have you changed as a person? What changes have occurred in you?
See, I think at a very young age, I was only 21 years old when I became Miss Universe, and when such a responsibility comes on your head at such a young age, I actually think it's a good thing, because then you have to fulfill the responsibility for every step you take in life, every step you take. So, in the industry too, the way I have handled my career, I feel that I had a responsibility that the girls who would come after me in the industry, in the film industry, in the fashion industry, I would be such an example for them that they would also feel that it's not important that you only get something by compromising. Or if you don't have godfathers in the industry, you cannot be successful. So I think for me to be successful, to be successful on my own terms as an independent woman, I have not only been an actress. I am also a producer, an entrepreneur. Today, I want the girls who are coming, the young girls, to feel that everything is possible if you work hard, are dedicated, conduct yourself in a dignified manner, yet remain confident in yourself that you can do this. It is not necessary that you only negotiate and compromise, and only then will something happen. I don't think that's important.
I think my journey in the industry, I think I have been very lucky. Very good people have come into my life. The choices I have made, sometimes people hear and think, no, but you could have gone much further than this, but I think maintaining a balance was very important for me. My whole life is not just films. Today, I am also a mother, as you said. I am also a wife. I am also a daughter. In every area of life, maintaining a balance is very important. If you only run after fame, you know, money, then you get a little lost, you lose yourself. So I think this was very important for me. I didn't want to lose myself. I want to be, I want to love Lara at every age in life. I wanted to know this from you, because as I said in the beginning, you are a fan favorite, aren't you? So everyone wants to see you. After seeing all your movies, you did such good work, and why aren't you visible? This was the thing, you are very choosy. In everyone's mind, it was that you are very choosy. You have your own criteria, according to which I have selected roles. That's why you are doing fewer movies.
No, as I said, I think it is important for me to maintain a balance. I really liked comedy when I started doing comedy films. The first comedy I did was New Entry; it did very well. People also liked the picture very much. So I felt that, no, this is a genre that I enjoy, so I mostly like to do comedy pictures. And one thing is that, I always say now, age has liberated me, so it's not necessary for me to do glamorous roles now or, you know, be the main heroine of the film. I think the offers I am getting now—like I recently finished shooting Ramayana—the different kinds of characters that are now available, in Bell Bottom I got a chance to play the role of Mrs. Gandhi. I think this, as an actor, this new phase is very exciting and challenging. There were big pictures before too, commercial pictures were with big heroes, but there were no opportunities to play such characters. In every career, every step of yours goes through different transitions; different opportunities are available, and accepting and embracing all these things is very important to grow, also as a person.
Absolutely, that's true. And anyway, cinema is changing nowadays. There is a mindset, ours too. Girls who win beauty contests—Miss India, Miss World, Miss Universe, whatever they win—as an audience, we feel that they will go into movies, into Bollywood. So what challenges do girls who win beauty pageants face in Bollywood or the film industry, in any area of the industry?
See, I think the most important thing is that you can definitely win any beauty pageant, but to stay in the film industry or to make a name for yourself, talent is also very necessary; talent is very important. So if you don't pay attention to your skills, your craft, or try to improve it, learn something new, then just being a beautiful face is not going to, you know, keep you in the industry. You might get the first opportunity, the first opportunity is sure to come, but to make a name for yourself there, to make a place for yourself, you also need talent. And I have seen that many girls come, but they focus so much on beauty pageants, according to this, and mostly girls, look, there is one thing, when I participated in Miss Universe, I had no such desire to come to Bollywood. My entire focus was on becoming Miss Universe. Then, whatever opportunities I got in life came later. Today I see that many girls enter beauty pageants because they want to come into films, but the focus is only on beauty pageants—walking, look, grooming—that they don't pay attention to other things at all. Then when they come, then they struggle, because today the industry, as you see, our new generation, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, they have lived almost their entire lives in this preparation that they had to finally become actresses, so their talents, their entire mindset has gone in that direction. So I think it's important that if you want to come to Bollywood, it's a good place. As you said, a lot of changes have also come in this industry. There are a lot of opportunities, not just in films. Today, so much good content is being made on our OTT platforms. Today, our OTT stars are bigger than some film stars. Our social media stars are bigger than film stars. So I think it's important that you are ready, that you come a little prepared, do your homework, and opportunities will always come.
This thing, as you said, that having talent is very important. I think it used to happen more earlier—the mindset of everyone was that girls have beauty, especially, so they will go to Bollywood. But nowadays, especially what we see on OTT, it seems that talent matters the most; looks don't matter so much.
Of course, and look, times have also changed. Earlier, most actresses would have four songs in a film; there were two or four scenes with the hero. So you would say that the heroine mostly brought cosmetic value to the film. Now that has changed considerably. Today, the kind of characters that are written, the kind of stories that are written, are quite female-centric; they have the opportunity to show their talent. So I think if that opportunity is there, it's up to you what you want to do in the industry. You want to be a proper actor, or you are happy just being another pretty face who became famous.
Yes, that's a thing, ma'am. Another thing, if I talk about the film industry today, you have worked with old directors as well as new directors, both types of work, and nowadays what is happening in the industry, directors are also actors, actors are also directors. What is the impact of this? Are good results coming, or does it seem that something is lacking?
No, I think every change that comes is for the good, and it should be. One should be versatile in every industry. So I don't think that this is a negative thing. Some trends run for some time, then change, then something new comes, then something else. This is normal in every industry. Now, talking about you, you are a mother, a very good actress, a good businesswoman. So how do you manage all this?
It's not easy, but I would just say that you can do all this, but taking care of yourself is the most important thing, not just physically, but mentally as well. Whatever I do, I always try to do it better and bigger and better, not for someone else, for myself. But as I said, maintaining that balance is very important. So people don't see me much at parties and film award functions and such things because that is not my priority. So it is important that you know yourself and decide what is important to you. And I don't say that these things are not important, but at present, in my life, it doesn't have that much importance. But I love it, I do, and I want to tell women that you can do all this too.
While leaving, a special message for our fans, for your fans through Punjab Kesari?
No, I would just say that I have always received a lot of love, a lot of respect, here, my father is from Jalandhar. And coming to Punjab feels very good to me; it feels like I've come home. I am currently the daughter of an Air Force officer, so I have spent some time in different parts of the country, but there is a thing about home, where your parents are, where your roots are, it always feels like this is my place, this is my place, this is my home.
Have you traveled around Punjab?
Yes, I have traveled a bit. And my grandmother was also here for many years, so of course, visiting my grandparents was very special as a child. In fact, I came here today. Our flight landed at 6:30, and when I came to the hotel, I first asked if I could get aloo paratha. It wasn't available, but it's not in this hotel, but I definitely won't go back without eating it.
It means you eat these things. Seeing it, you feel that you are not on a diet?
No, absolutely not. It is necessary to make exceptions. You come to Chandigarh, and you won't eat these things, then what? And I have to eat that and radish and turnip pickle. I'll eat all these things before leaving. This reminds me of some childhood memories. With cameraman Akash, Sandesh Jhalak Sharma, Punjab Kesari Navoday Times, thank you.