Sara Ali Khan has seen two back-to-back film releases in the month of March. While in Murder Mubarak, she shared the screen space as part of a large ensemble, in Ae Watan Mere Watan, she played the protagonist. The film stars Sara as freedom fighter Usha Mehta, whose underground radio station was instrumental in the success of the Quit India movement. In a candid chat with DNA, Sara talks about the two releases, what she learnt from Usha, and how she takes criticism on social media.
There are a lot of dissimilarities between Usha and Sara given that they are from different eras. But Sara notes there are a few similarities too. “Of course, the stakes are different. I am not from 1942 and I’m not a political activist,” she explains, adding, “But when you see something wrong happening personally, professionally, domestically, environmentally, to be able to stand up for that requires a certain personality that I think I have.”
Another similarity is that Usha, the daughter of a respected judge in British India, also came from a privileged background like Sara, the daughter of two successful actors, one of whom also happens to be a Nawab. But Sara says the paths diverge from then on. She says, “What I find most commendable about Usha Mehta is that her socio-economic and general ideologies are so distinct from her father’s. I am very lucky and privileged in the sense that even though every movie set is different but I go home to a very important anchor. Playing Bambi (in Murder Mubarak) and Usha Mehta (in Ae Watan Mere Watan) releasing in the same month is pretty out of my comfort zone. But she (my mother) at home is my comfort zone and I am never really away from her, unlike Usha. She actually gives up with that sense of self, her friends, romance, and the comfort of her father’s home.”
Sara says that the knowledge of having her mother Amrita Singh as her emotional anchor allows her to take risks. “What enables me to get out of my comfort zone is the inherent security that I have at home, right after this interview,” says the actress.
Ae Watan Mere Watan, directed by Kannan Iyer, also stars Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Verma, Sachin Khedekar, and Sparsh Srivastava. It is currently streaming on Prime Video. Murder Mubarak, Sara’s previous release, is streaming on Netflix.
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