COVER STORY: Shraddha Kapoor on Stree 2 Her Definition of Success and more

Shraddha Kapoor is on cloud nine. And why not? She’s notched up another hit with Stree 2. Just like that. It seems she’s made a habit of plucking hits out of thin air. Success, she says, is all about doing what you love. She isn’t fazed by failure either. Failure, according to her, is just a stepping stone to success. Nice thought that. Her burgeoning social media numbers indicate that all is well in her world. At the photoshoot, the mercury is soaring high. She’s radiating energy, and our glasses are fogging up. She’s gentle and soft, yet she knows how to galvanise the screen and turn heads. So, I snag her for a chat. Instead of asking the mundane “How are you feeling?” questions, I throw some random stuff at her, and she plays along. The game is on. Read on.

So what are you thinking about right now?
What am I thinking about right now? I’m wondering how much sugar there is in the cold coffee I’m drinking because it’s really delicious.

Work wise?
I’m in Delhi for a brand shoot and an event tomorrow. I just got off a call. I was calling home asking how my little puppy is doing. So she is on my mind right now, my little puppy. Her name is Small. Like Small Medium, Large.

What does the success of Stree 2 mean to you?
It means a lot. I’m just so happy that in general also this period has been really good for Hindi movies. And also that I’m a part of a film that has done so well and has gotten so much love from the audiences. So I’m feeling very grateful.

Does the success validate you in some way?
Honestly, I’ve been a part of so many films that have done well. Of course, Stree 2 has gone to a whole new level. But, I’ve mainly only got my validation from myself and my loved ones always. So validation aside, as I said, I am very, very grateful.

See Also: Shraddha Kapoor Reacts To Stree 2 Beating SRK’s Pathaan at Box Office

How would you define success?
For me, success is doing what you love to do and being happy, doing it. For me, success is, being at peace. I’m very close to my family and friends. So for me, success is also leading a balanced life. And also honestly, following your purpose or being on the path of your purpose is success.

How do you cope with failure?
Failure is an important stepping stone towards success. Without failure you cannot achieve success. I’ve not heard of anyone having a straightforward path towards success. There’s always some kind of obstacle, something people have had to overcome, and the same thing has been true for me too. A lot of people think that failure is a negative thing. But if you channelise it and see the positive in it, you can transform it into an aspect of growth in your journey.

Define failure?
I will define failure as a stepping stone to success.

What’s the colour of Monday?
Every day is very colourful for me. Every single day is a rainbow colour. I look at the world with rose-tinted glasses and every day of mine is like that. Be it Monday, be it Sunday. No Monday blues here ever. It’s always Monday masti for me.

What’s your prized possession?
My prized possession,… I have this chai cup to which I’m very, very attached. It’s a special cup. I remember I bought it from this shop called Good Earth when I was… how old was I? This was in 2007. I was 19 then. I remember going to the store and thinking this is so expensive. Baap re ek mug ke liye itne paise le rahe hain yeh log. I had started drinking chai then. And I thought now that I have started drinking tea, I have to buy a special cup for myself. So that was a prized possession for me, and it still is.

If there is a B’town person you want to spy on, who would it be?
I want to spy on my dad and my maasi (Padmini Kolhapure). They are B-town people. Also my brother and my other maasis. So whoever is from B-town in my family, I would want to spy on them. So that I can blackmail them when I need something. What is your pet peeve? My pet peeve? You know how you meet people? And they’re like, “Hi. How are you?” And you say, “All well. How are you?” And they go, “All good.” This conversation is a pet peeve for me. But I also indulge in it.

If you have to relocate to another country, which would it be?
My heart belongs in the heartland. No place like home. I would never want to relocate. I would never want to relocate from Juhu or even from my galli. So where’s the question of relocating from the country?

What would you trade the fame and money for?
No need to trade the fame and money. Everything in life is going perfectly well. Touchwood! I don’t want to change any aspect for anything because everything is working in full balance right now. I’m also so grateful for the way things are. So grateful for everything in my life, the fame, the money, the family, my friends. I’m truly blessed.

What’s your biggest fear?
My biggest fear is that someday, I will open my sandwich that I’m eating and there will be ketchup in it. Yuck! I hate ketchup.

See Also: Shraddha Kapoor & Aditya Roy Kapur catch up at an event

What’s the one thing you never leave your home without?
One thing I never leave home without is my rose-tinted glasses with which I view the world.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that you’ve done in life?
Nothing. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything embarrassing, even if I do something which is technically supposed to be embarrassing. Right now, I just burped in the car and there are like three-four people in the car with me.  But I’ve enjoyed the fact that it happened mistakenly so much that I’ve only cracked up.

What’s the one Hindi word that you find the funniest?
Bulbul. The bird. I think it’s a funny name for a bird. What’s the funniest meme you have seen of yourself? There are a lot of these memes that keep coming. Whenever there’s rain during the cricket match, memes come out saying, ‘Yahan pe Shraddha a gayi, baarish hone lagi,’ because they’ve associated me with rain a lot.

If you have to hit on a girl, what pickup line would you use?
‘You look like Shraddha Kapoor.’

What’s your take on infidelity?
Oh my god. Not for me. Red flag. If God were to grant you a wish, what would you ask for? That I hope I’m always able to positively impact others in their lives. If you have a red carpet faux pas, how would you deal with it? I think, I would only enjoy it and laugh at myself a lot.

What’s one piece of clothing that you will never wear?
I’m not a huge fan of that leopard print. Leopard prints look good only on leopards.

What’s the one thing that you still don’t know about the industry or can’t figure out about the industry?
I don’t think one can really confidently say they know what kind of films will be successful. I feel if we just put our head down and make a good film and stay true to our vision… and make the kind of film we want to make…then just leave it to the audiences. Only the audiences know what they want.

The last line of your autobiography would be?
This is what dreaming big looks like…

See Also: Shraddha Kapoor to Vedang Raina: 7 actors who sang in their own movies

What’s your favourite Indian food?
My favourite Indian food is anything that’s made at home. So maybe it’s a mix of Maharashtrian and Punjabi food. Varan bhat, aloo parantha…

How many times do you check yourself in the mirror in a day?
Normal. I actually don’t check myself in the mirror. (chuckles) The mirror checks me a lot.

What would be your ideal summer getaway like?
Maybe a wildlife sanctuary or a forest reserve or something like that. But it would be very hot in summer. Goa. Goa will also be hot. So Ladakh or Kashmir would be ideal. I think an ideal summer getaway would be a walk to my freezer. North East is also stunning.

Beach or hills?
‘Main beech mein hoon is answer ke’. I think jungle or a forest.

Why jungle?
Just wildlife.

What’s the most used emoticon in your chat?
The most used emoticon on my chat is a heart emoji.

What was the first Hindi movie you saw?
I don’t remember the first ever Hindi movie I saw. But I’m pretty sure it must have been one of my dad’s (Shakti Kapoor) films. I’m pretty sure. One of the initial films I remember seeing, which also had my dad was Chhota Chetan (1998).

Who is your favourite Hindi film actor?
I will say my father because I feel he’s genuinely versatile. Also Amitabh Bachchan.

The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
I take a nice long breath and I tell myself that today is going to be the best day of my life. They say if you say your  affirmations with your breathing, it goes into your subconscious.

Five movies which one must watch…
Andaz Apna Apna, Chaalbaaz, Pyaasa, 3 Idiots, and Lagaan.

THREE people who you would spend your time with?
My parents and my brother. One movie you wish you were a part of. There’s no movie that I wish I was a part of. But I wish I could time travel and go and be a part of all of Guru Dutt films.

Name three films that you watch over and over again…
Andaaz Apna Apna I can watch on repeat. Padosan is a fantastic film which has incredible repeat value. If at all I had to watch a film over and over again, it would be comedy. So it can also be a lot of Jim Carrey films.

One actor you want to romance on screen?
I actually don’t think like that. But if I can give a different answer to this. I don’t want to romance this person on screen or anything like that. But if I were to name an actor whose fan I am, it would be Hrithik Roshan. I had the biggest crush on him while growing up.

Who’s the most sexiest guy in Bollywood?
Hrithik Roshan. Who else?

A Bollywood celebrity you would want as a neighbour.
Waheeda Rehman ji. She’s been one of my most favourite actors of all time.

If you were a journalist, who would be the first actor you would want to interview?
The first actor I would want to interview would be my dad.

And what would you ask him?
I would ask him, tell me how it all started. From childhood to now.

The happiest moment of your life was…
There’s no one moment like this. But, seeing my parents being really proud of me, those become my happiest moments. I feel like they are constantly proud of me, which is really nice.

A feeling that you hate the most.
It’s when I’m really hungry. It’s unbearable. I can’t bear hunger.

Where does it go?
I eat a lot, I also workout. I am a Bakasur. I could be like Kumbhakaran, six months sleeping, six months eating.

What’s your idea for perfect happiness?
My idea of perfect happiness is just keep it simple. Live, we must. I mean, just, looking forward to it every day.

Which is the last movie that made you cry?
I recently watched The Pursuit Of Happyness again. And I cried.

One professional mistake that you’ll never make?
I can’t even think of what a professional mistake can be. I’m a professional pro-max.

If not an actor, what else would you be?
No. I can’t imagine being anything else but an actor. Doing exactly what I’m doing. If not an actor, then you’re imagining a different kind of life. And I think people imagine a different kind of life only when they’re not satisfied with their current life. I’m so satisfied that I would only want to be an actor.

What’s the one habit of yours you want yo change?
I’m obsessed with pouches and keep wanting to buy more and more pouches be it for little Knick knacks or toiletries or make up. I think I need to be banned from buying anymore pouches.Shraddha Kapoor is all things nice with a dash of spice. Continue reading …Read More