Soundarya Sharma who hails from Delhi dreamt of only one thing that being an actress. Soundarya, a dental surgeon left that career and came to Mumbai to chase her dreams. Having no connect with the industry, the actress went through the grill of several auditions till she was finalized for “Ranchi Diaries” in which she played the lead. The fitness enthusiast was very well appreciated for her role and was also nominated for the best debutante.
Women Fitness India recently got the wonderful chance to speak to the gorgeous actor. Let’s take a look at what she had to say.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
After being mentored by the veteran actor, Anupam Kher, you have given an absolutely marvellous performance in your debut movie, Ranchi Diaries, and won several hearts. Share with our viewers your incredible journey of becoming an actor?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
I’m glad that Anupam sir has faith in me. He is a living legend and a walking institute on his own, so you can learn from him even when he’s sitting silently. I did my formal training from National School of Drama. I did a 3 months’ workshop there with Mr. Robin Das, then I did my 4 months’ workshop at Act One Theatre group, which is in Delhi, from where Shoojit Sarcar and Anurag Kashyap sir have passed out. I have also done evening batches with Kher sir before Ranchi Diaries.
My journey has been quite interesting because since I was a dental student, for me it was a different world completely. Both are poles apart, glamorous world and being a med student. I was finishing my studies, but I always wanted to be an actor. But since I come from a Brahmin family, and conservative parents in Delhi, they didn’t want me to be an actor. I tried to run away from my house twice, but somehow I convinced them and they supported me. My brother was studying in Singapore, he was studying MBA, he was flown back to India and he came with me to Bombay. Though I got Ranchi Diaries in Delhi only, I’ve been coming to Bombay off and on for giving auditions and all and that’s how I had met my director of this film, who used to be the assistant of Anurag Sir and Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sir. So I used to keep meeting him for one or two auditions, that’s how we knew each other and that’s how I got this film.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Being a dental surgeon you opted to make a career shift and came to Mumbai to chase your dreams of becoming an actress. What was the reaction of family & friends? What motivated you to follow your dreams? Also, introduce us to a day in your regular routine?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
I was a dental student and I was still studying when I first told them that I want to be an actor. Infact I was too young and I was a part of the Miss India pageant, I was in the finals, but then it didn’t work out because I had to finish my studies first and my parents till then they were like “Shauk ke liye kar rhi hai”. But then when I told them that I seriously want to do all this, they were in a state of shock. When you come from a family where parents only want their children to become a doctor or an engineer, things are very different. It will be an understatement to say that it was really difficult for me. You know I have missed my father’s love somehow during my teenage years just because I told them that I want to be an actor. Because I come from a normal middle class family, and in our family, when people don’t come from entertainment industry, there are notions about the industry. Obviously my dad was right there are things in the industry that are not right, like casting couch. They think it’s a blind track and there is a lot of uncertainty about how far you will go and what you will achieve, so all of those fears were there in my family. My dad was like completely shocked, he thought somebody is poking me for it.
My friends used to laugh at me, though they knew I am going to do something or the other, but no one took me seriously. They used to call me “stylo” & all that. They thought it was very unlikely for a person who is studying dentistry to be a glamorous Bollywood Actress, that too from a Brahmin family and a girl like me whose parents are so overprotective. That itself says how difficult it would have been for me.
But with God’s grace, I think, things are now streamlining. My dad and my mom are completely supporting me. I’m not in touch with my friends anymore because I could not relate with them beyond a point. It is very difficult to stay with people who don’t believe in you. I was a very passionate child about everything, so if I wanted to be an Actress, I would give it my heart and soul and blood and everything. That’s how I pursued. One needs to be very passionate and dedicated if you want to achieve something in your life. I used to think about it 24*7. Infact there were days, when I used to write my final exams of BDS and I used to think what am I doing here, I have to be in Bollywood.
I knew it is not going to be easy and it will be difficult. Only positivity kept me going. I had this faith in me, I always believed I can do it, because there was no one around me who would say yes you can do this. We live in a world, where only star kids are being introduced and you have to have a Godfather and someone who would keep pushing you, and I didn’t have any of that. I am lucky and I am glad that now Kher sir has that faith in me and my director has that faith in me. I have made some friends in Bollywood and they are supporting me, but that is not it, because your journey is your own.
My day routine mainly consists of, since you have to keep brushing all your skills, I watch a lot and lot of films. I keep going for auditions; I have to meet a lot of people, in Bollywood. Then I do acrobats, gym, then I do yoga, reading, I have to travel as well for my work. All these things are happening on a positive note.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2018 Women Fitness Org
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are a proclaimed fitness freak. Unfold the exercises that comprise your fitness regime? Do you advocate the idea of going to the gym or hiring a personal trainer?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
For me fitness is a part of life, fitness is not something that I started to believe in after I became an actor, I think one has to remain fit and that should be the way you live your life. I start my day with yoga, it rejuvenates me and I think everyone should do yoga. This is something that you can do on your own. Initially you can do it with a yoga trainer to learn all the right asanas. Before I come to my gym or acrobatics, I feel to remain positive and happy is the most important thing to be fit. Because if you are happy, your soul is happy then you can do anything in your life, and automatically things fall into place. You start to eat right, which is the most important aspect of being fit. So I insist on being happy and eating right before doing anything else. One must practice yoga or any other form that one like, eve a brisk walk is good.
Like I do acrobats, I also indulge in dance. Being an actor I have to go to the gym but I don’t do weight lifting because I believe that a girl should always look like a girl, because going to the gym is like an addiction and you don’t know sometimes when you do excess that you lose your femininity. Little things like your walk would change, shoulders will become broad, but this is my personal view.
I go to the gym and I have a personal trainer, because doing it the right way is the most important thing, and you need someone to motivate you, keep pushing you. Once you are in a regular practice of yoga or dance or acrobats or gym, then you can do it on your own. So even if you just start with a walk or do yoga, that is also good enough. Eat right, stay happy, drink a lot of water; I think these are key to staying fit. Fitness should be the way of your life; it can’t be like that you are in this industry so you have to be fit.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Eating healthy is an integral part of living a fit lifestyle. What is the first thing that you start your day with? How do you balance your meals at work to stay healthy and physically fit? Also, enlist your 5 favorite foods you would fall for anytime?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
I start my day with lots and lots of water, I drink almost 1-1.5 bottles of water in the morning. Then I like to have ginger tea. Then I do my yoga, which is folwoed with yoga nidra. I take small frequent meals. That’s how one should eat, eat smaller portions, 5-6 times a day. I don’t strictly follow any trainer; I eat ghee, butter, cheese, whatever I like, but in the right proportion.
I do look after my diet and I try not to eat after 7-7:30, but sometimes I do eat late but very carefully. Like I would eat something that doesn’t have carbs, something high in protein, but during the day time you are free to eat anything. As far as you are working out and walking, you can even eat pakoras. For me there are no restrictions and I don’t follow a certain diet. I don’t tell anyone to diet because ultimately we all are working hard and to enjoy and eat good food. I don’t believe in starving or dieting. I would rather eat everything and workout.
My favorite foods are: I love mushrooms; I love pani poori, chat pakori, aloo ki chaat. I love thin crust pizza, and everything that is made up of potatoes, high in calories.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have a glowing skin and beautiful hair – what skin and hair care tips would you like to share with our visitors?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
Well, the credits have to go to my parents, especially my mom, because it is all genetic and I don’t do much about it. God has been kind to me. But I drink a lot of water, lots and lots of water and stay happy, stay positive, because everything reflects on your face.
I don’t do much of facials, except sometimes I do multani mitti at home, I also apply cucumber and tomato. Oiling is very important because oil is a good conditioner. There is a myth that oiling helps you grow your hair, no, I think it conditions your hair, it moisturizes your scalp and it’s good for your scalp so one should definitely do it. Because the environment is so polluted, drinking a lot of water is very important. In the coming years, it will deteriorate, so we should definitely look after our skin.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Your peppy number “Fashion Queen” has become a Chic Anthem with a Punjabi twist and has crossed over 1 million views on YouTube. Share with us your experience shooting this number & the rigorous training that went into its making, on your part.
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
Well yes “Fashion Queen” is a great song and it has great energy. Everyone loved it. I still remember when Kangana Ranaut had introduced me and my song to the media, I was so thrilled and so excited, because Kangana has always been my favorite and I think we all get inspired from her journey. And she coming, introducing and loving my performance in Ranchi Diaries was a big deal for me.
The experience of working on Ranchi Diaries and Fashion Queen has been absolutely great. Again I would like to say that I did not get much time to rehearse for Ranchi Diaries, because we got the song very late and I remember I had this sprain in my left ankle at that time, I had twisted my toe. I hardly rehearsed for two days and that too for only 7-8 hours. So we shot the song in two days and it came out really well. It was a great experience for me and when the song came out right from Sonam Kapoor to Hritik Roshan, these people are considered the biggest fashion icons, they had tweeted about me and about the song. It was a big, big thing for me, because I don’t come from the film industry or share a big surname, so it was a big deal for me. I am extremely lucky and grateful to have such a great song in my debut film. It will stay with me, even when I complete my 20th or 30th film.
Training was actually very strenuous, because you are shooting the debut song of your career, and it was strenuous because we didn’t have the song till the last minute because there were some composition changes going on and some technical issues, so we didn’t really know what we were dancing on, we just had the outline of the song. But thankfully it came out really well and people loved it. I was really happy and thankful to God for giving me this wonderful song like “Fashion Queen”, it really defines, it really is a Chic anthem, it really defines a girl especially a debutante like me. Because Ranchi Diaries is a very performance oriented film, and it is a film that revolves around Guria, my character. And in that film you get to perform such a song which is not an item number, but is a dancing song, it feels really great to having being performed in a film like Ranchi Diaries and then Fashion Queen. It was a rare combination. These days if you see, Alia Bhatt is doing Highway, Raazi, Kriti Sanon did Bareilly ki Barfi, all went de-glam to prove themselves as good actors. But in Ranchi Diaries it gave me a platform to prove myself as an actor and yet as a glamorous doll. It was the perfect dream role for any girl or debutante to start with. Infact this Guria’s character gave wings to Guria’s and Soundarya’s dreams, both of our dreams.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
With an audience of over 311K followers on your Instagram account @iamsoundaryasharma you’re a social media sensation and an internet leading star. How does it feel that you are able to inspire and motivate so many individuals?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
I love being on social media. It’s only been five months since I joined Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. It was Kher sir who told me that in today’s time, you cannot be keeping away from social media. Ranbir and Kangana can to do it because they are Ranbir and Kangana, but you cannot afford to do it because you are just starting out now.
I thought that there were too many negative things and I used to wonder how can you tell them a positive thing when you are constantly thinking about what people are talking or how many likes you’ve got. So I was not in favour of it but Kher sir was the first person who helped me Tweet from my account for the very first time and same on Instagram. I’ve very happy that in such a short span of time, I’ve got over 2 lakh followers and over 25000 on Twitter. I definitely enjoy it but it gets tiring beyond a point. It can sometimes really make you addictive. One day I had posted something and at 1: 30 a.m. I got so curious that I woke up and I started stalking things. So it can get really addictive but overall I love it.
It is inspiring to see if someone is getting motivated with what little I have achieved. It is a great feeling and for all those of you out there, I’d like to say Thank you and Love you for all the support, I really need it. Keep supporting, keep blessing, keep sharing good things, good vibes.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
For your performance in Ranchi Diaries, you were well appreciated and were also nominated for the best debutante. How does it feel to have your hardwork and determination being rewarded and appreciated?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
It feels great that my performance in Ranchi Diaries was very well appreciated by critics. People said the best thing about Ranchi Diaries is Soundarya Sharma, which I don’t believe because the film is actually very good. It felt great when I got to know that I was being nominated as Best Debutante at Star Screens and Zee Cine. I had never expected since I’ve grown up watching these awards in the television. When you’re not from the industry and you want to be those and suddenly you do a debut film, which is not a YRF kind of a film and it gets critically acclaimed and over that you get nominated for Best Debutante, so I was on top of the world. The kind of recognition that I was getting is something beyond my imagination, because I have worked really hard. Put in my everything, my heart and soul in becoming an actor, I have started from the scratch, so it feels great. I still remember the days when I used to lie at my house for my night duties, I used to save my stipend and come to Bombay and I didn’t even know which part of Bombay do I have to go to. So from those days to this day, where I have mastered the location of offices of every production house and people have been very kind to me, they are calling me and atleast meeting me. And hopefully, I will do some nice work in Bollywood. But from those days to this day itself is a great achievement.
People around me were so negative, de-moralising me, like one casting director even said that you’re not anyone’s girlfriend or share a big surname, then what made you think that just being pretty and having learned acting from great schools will make you an actor. That shook me and gave me a reality check. So Ranchi Diaries was a great achievement for me, to have the support and faith of Kher sir in my life, is again a big achievement. Then being nominated for the Best Debutante further motivated me and it will motivate me for next 100 years. Because this is something I wanted to start with, you don’t become a star overnight. All the big stars, if we see their journey, it has taken them 5-7 years to become who they are, be it Deepika, or Kangana, or Shahrukh Sir. So I’m happy and glad that I got recognised and I got noticed being an outsider. Karan Johar sir had unveiled Fashion Queen, which was itself a huge thing for me and Salman sir had unveiled the teaser and trailer of Ranchi Diaries which was again really big, so I have no complains. It feels great.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Your fans are looking forward to knowing about your future projects that you may be working on. Also, apart from acting, what are your hobbies?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
The announcements will be coming out from the Producers soon. Things are in the pipeline, I have given certain auditions, and things are happening. Because you don’t get a film overnight, it takes time. I’m not in a hurry, we’ve just started. Apart from that, I love watching films, I’m a superhero girl and a huge fan so I just watch all superhero films. I love riding bikes and have a passion for cars. My car is a 4X4 Superb Elegance Skoda, so you can imagine how much I love cars. I love everything that a normal girl wants, I also love playing guitar. So I love everything and I love chilling out.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Cut-throat competition dominates in all areas of our life. Extend out of your experience, role of hard work to survive in the entertainment industry. What would be your best tips for a newcomer entering the Indian Film Industry?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
Yes there is very cut-throat competition in our Film Industry and hard work, positivity and belief in yourself, these are the only things that can help you sustain in this entertainment industry. Well I’m not a veteran over here, but being a newcomer I can tell you to just have faith and follow your heart. Do not listen to anyone or pay heed to any negativity. Follow your instincts, do the right thing, meet the right people, and you will be there. I also had no Godfather, I started out at 22 and I’m 24 now, I had no modelling background, from that to this day to getting a film, I only followed my heart and I didn’t let anyone affect me. You must have a passion for something in life but don’t hurt anyone in the process, even yourself. It can sometimes get hard to stay positive, but always believe in yourself.
Being an outsider, you have to be extra positive because everyone you’ll meet will tell you about all the star kids, which can make you feel even more insecure. You have to be your own rulebook, there is no strategy to be successful in Bollywood, but you still have to strategize how people will take you. I have nothing against anyone, but I just have to say that give a fair chance to people. Like we become doctors on a merit ground, if every Tom, Dick and Harry will get to clear the exam then no good doctors will be left. I have been let down many times because I don’t come from the industry, it is an understatement to tell you what I was made to think every time people made me realize this. But I had to take over all that and stay positive. But people like my director, who himself debut with this film, gave me a chance and he could have taken anybody with Kher sir being the producer of the film but he choose me. There are people like that, who choose people on a merit basis, so now time is changing.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Women Fitness works with a goal provide women with best in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty & fashion. Share your views about the website (Womenfitness.org) and an inspirational message for our readers?
Ms. Soundarya Sharma:
I think women are the best! This is the best thing that has happened to the world.
For all of you out there, my message would be follow your heart, stay positive, do what your heart says. Try to look for something good in everything. Everybody acts like a critic, criticizing and preaching others rather than helping them. On humanitarian grounds, let’s change that, let us help more people. Make a change in somebody’s life; bring about a difference for betterment in someone’s life.
Follow her on:
- https://www.instagram.com/iamsoundaryasharma/
- https://twitter.com/soundarya_20
- https://www.facebook.com/iamsoundaryasharma
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2018 Women Fitness Org