'When you receive roses, you can't escape the brickbats'

'The fact that I've been able to make my parents cry, and make my brother proud, and even my grandmother (Sharmila Tagore)... that is a huge achievement.'

Sara Ali Khan is happy with the progress she has made in her life and career in 2021.

"2021 has been quite the bittersweet year," she tells Subhash K Jha.

"We are in the midst of a pandemic, but Atrangi Re was the small bubble I escaped into that gave me solace and motivation. It gave me great memories to replace the bad ones."

"It was also a wonderful moment for the family when Jehangir (Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's son) was born. I try to spend time with him and Taimur whenever I get the chance."

Sara is overwhelmed by the response she has received to her performance in Atrangi Re.

"It is humbling and motivating, especially at this early phase of my career," she says.

"My friends, family, fans and the industry have had some very nice things to say and I'm truly thankful for that. But the fact that I've been able to make my parents cry, and make my brother proud, and even my grandmother (Sharmila Tagore, the movie legend)... that is a huge achievement."

The girl that Sara plays in Atrangi Re is in love with a phantom lover, and Sara confesses she believes in idealised love.

"As a girl, who's a die hard romantic at heart, and an idealistic person by nature, I have grown up imagining a 'perfect' or 'ideal' love.

"In fact, in Atrangi Re, the fact that Rinku has a perfect, idealised version of her love is so relatable to me. Whether it's our personal life, or choice of films and professional life, somewhere we all have an idealised version of what we would want or desire in life. Rinku is the same, and so am I."

Rinku -- the character Sara plays in Atrangi Re -- is the nickname of her grandmother, Sharmila Tagore.

How much of her work has Sara seen?

"I've seen a lot of my grandmother's work. Not just because she happens to be my grandmother, but also because she is an icon of Indian cinema. One of the biggest compliments I've received was her appreciating my performance in Atrangi Re."

Sara reveals that her grandmother has been receiving congratulations about Sara's performance in Atrangi Re; "She got messages from her friends and family members appreciating my performance in Atrangi Re, which was very encouraging. The fact that I have been able make her proud is a huge achievement for me. She will always be the epitome of grace and beauty for me."

With the pandemic refusing to go away, Sara chooses to look at life as positively as possible.

"I choose to stay positive and that's the way I dealt with the 'new normal'. Of course, spending that extra time with my family, catching up on books and staying disciplined with my workout regime was an added bonus. I'm working on a film with Vicky Kaushal, which is directed by Laxman Uttekar."

Sara doesn't take the trolling seriously. "It doesn't really get to me as much. I take it with a pinch of salt. It's part and parcel of being in this profession. When you receive roses, you can't escape the brickbats."