Want to work with Aditya, Farhan, Khans: Pallavi Sharda

 What made you take up the Hawaizaada project?

I was very excited by the idea that it was an Indian who made the first flying machine. It is a hidden moment in history and I had the chance to be part of something revolutionary. I also adored the character, Sitara, that was offered to me, a tamasha dancer with a pragmatic head who becomes one of the backbones of Ayushmann’s character Shivi. Furthermore I was getting to work with a powerhouse of talent like Ayushmann Khurrana and a stalwart like Mithun Chakraborty. I have also known how talented Vibhu Puri is and was sure he was going to make an epic film with wonderful aesthetics.

 You have been paired up with Ayushmann Khurrana in this film, how was it working with him?

I had a great time working with Ayushmann. He is fun loving and relatable, always making sure the people around him are happy. We come from pretty similar ‘non-filmy’ backgrounds so I think we share a common sensibility and way of thinking. I feel very lucky to have worked with him, he is supremely talented - both as an actor and vocalist.

  Tell us about your role in Hawaizaada.

I play the character of Sitara who is a tamasha dancer in the 1890s era. She is the love interest of Ayushmann’s character and one of his sources of strength in his plane-making journey.

  While both your parents are IIT alumni and have PhDs in science and engineering, you have made a complete different career choice. Was there pressure on you to pursue science and take up academics as your career path?

I was a very good science and math student as a child, but somewhere I rebelled against this, maybe because I was surrounded by engineers and scientists. I went from being a maths award winner to purposely failing it the next year so I could just take up humanities subjects. Having said this, I remained very much academically inclined and went on to do an LLB/BA (Media & Communciations/ Diploma in French). My parents never pressured me to do anything, they have always encouraged me to make my own decisions and supported my choices.

 You debuted as a lead in Bollywood against Ranbir Kapoor in Besharam, and now you are paired up with Ayushmann. Which top league heroes you aspire to work with in future?

There is a whole new crop of actors who are wonderful and I would love to work with - from Aditya Kapoor to Rajkumar Rao to Varun Dhawan. There are also more established actors that I am very fond of, such as Farhan Akhtar and the Khans. I would love to work with Ayushmann again.

 Being trained in Bharath Natyam, do you feel actresses are benefited with such traits?

I think in the past it was imperative that a Bollywood heroine could dance well. I think this trend is changing with the acceptance of films that don’t have song and dance as a part of them. I am very fond of the old school musicals which inspired me to come to Bollywood in the first place. In the role I am playing in Hawaizaada, being a trained dancer has been very helpful in allowing me to seep into the skin of the character.

  Do you have a role model in the industry?

After working with the stalwart Mithun Chakravarty, he has definitely become a role model for me. He has worked his way up from scratch and reached insurmountable heights as an actor. Yet he is completely grounded, warm and encouraging of others. I am so grateful to have gotten to know him.

 You have acted in several international films, how different is the working style here in Bollywood?

Bollywood is a very different environment to anything overseas. Things happen here more spontaneously, and while initially this was a bit of a cultural shock, I think gradually I have come to love this way of working. It is difficult as I live between India and Australia, so it is very hard to plan things in advance, something that it not well understood by the Australian workforce so much. I think Bollywood also puts lead actors on a huge pedestal, which does not happen in Australia where hierarchy is largely shunned - that’s something I miss about Australia.

 You have been crowned 'Miss India Australia'. How would you define your style statement?

Being an original has always been my style statement. I definitely feel more stylish when I am in Australia than India as I can be myself 100%. In Bollywood you are always being critiqued and judged which somewhere hinders free expression of oneself, this is something I still have to come to terms with.

What is more important for you-awards or Box-Office collections?

I have never thought of either as ‘important’. It’s about doing interesting work, working with good people and making a product you can feel proud of. Hawaizaada is one such experience.