We begin our interview with Sara Ali Khan with a ‘namaste darshakon (viewers)’, a line that has almost become a catchphrase for the actress. As we apologise for stealing her ‘trademark’, Sara laughs and remarks a lot of people have ‘stolen’ a lot of her trademarks, from namaste to white salwar suits. This sets the tone for the conversation that follows, or rather flows, as the actress talks about her uncultivated social media and ‘raw’ airport looks that may be a trend now but were looked down upon once.
Sara’s social media, particularly her Instagram, is a departure from many of her contemporaries. It is more uncurated and candid than many others. Elaborating on why she chose to go that way, Sara says, “I am putting on a façade all the time. I keep forgetting that from time to time but I am actually a really cool girl. And I really like to be me sometimes, all the time I am not supposed to be somebody else. I was given a lot of acceptance for being who I am. So when you are accepted for being who you are, why would you be anyone else.”
Even outside of social media, Sara has been more natural and raw in an era where airport looks and Insta-ready glamups are the norm. Her candid appearances are praised now but Sara recalls a time when this candour was considered brash by people around her. “People wanted to send me to finishing school,” she says with a laugh, adding, “They were like ‘isko baithna nahi aata, bolna nahi aata, kuch bhi bol deti hai, jhalli jaisi jaati hai (she doesn’t know how to sit or talk and goes anywhere like a fool).”
The actress finds it funny that now several other actresses have followed suit. “Now, it has become a trend. Now everyone goes to the airport with wet hair. Earlier, everyone used to advise me not to go to the airport without blow drying my hair. But now, when I do it, everyone else does it too,” she says with a laugh, before adding, almost sarcastically, “As long as I can help people be organic to their Indian roots, I am happy to do it.”
Sara will be next seen in Pavan Kirpalani’s Gaslight. The murder mystery also stars Chitrangda Singh, Vikrant Massey, Akshay Oberoi, and Rahul Dev. Produced by Ramesh Taurani, Tips Films Ltd. and Akshai Puri, 12th Street Entertainment, the film releases on March 31 on Disney+ Hotstar.
