Sonakshi: I have SLAPPED a lot of guys

Sonakshi Sinha has two back-to-back movies coming up, Bullett Raja and R... Rajkumar. Now that can be quite challenging for any actor, but Sonakshi isn't worried.

"I have mastered the art of shooting two, three films together. Both my roles are completely different," she says.

She's also not worried that her last film Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara did not fare well at the box office. She just wants to move on.

In conversation with Sonil Dedhia, Sonakshi talks about her movies, how she deals with flops, and why she will never wear a bikini on screen.

Your last film Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara did not do as well as expected. How disappointing does it get for you?

Who doesn’t have failures in life? Failure teaches you more than success does.

When my films are successful, I don’t go on the rooftop and shout that my film is a hit. And when my film fails, I don’t sit in one corner and cry.

You just move on, you are doing so much work that you don’t get time to sit and dwell over it. You move on and work harder the next time.

Imran Khan in his interview said the film failed as it released in less number of screens than it should have. What do you think went wrong with the film?

I can never say what the audience will like or not. I don’t know what will click at the box office and what won’t.

What is done is done, you can’t change it. There is no point discussing what went wrong.

What do you learn from your failures?

How to deal with life, how to move on without being bothered, how to keep doing your work to the best of your ability.

You have two films releasing within a week, R...Rajkumar and Bullett Raja. Was it difficult to juggle the shooting?

No, not really. I have mastered the art of shooting two, three films together.

Every film is different from another so that is not the problem.

You are working with director Prabhudheva for the second time, after Rowdy Rathore. How is your equation with him?

Prabhudheva is a pleasure to work with. I am happy that I could work with him again. 

He narrated the idea of R...Rajkumar to me when we were shooting for Rowdy Rathore. I agreed to do it immediately.

He talks less and has a great sense of humour. He understands the pulse of the audience well and gives them exactly what they want.

I think he made me do a lot of rowdy things in the film.

What kind of an equation do you share with him?

As a choreographer, he is a taskmaster. You cannot argue about the steps he gives you.

I had to share the same frame with him in Go Govinda (an item song in Oh My God!)and his dancers showed me some steps, which did not look easy.

But he was clear I had to do it, there was no argument. At first, I didn’t think I could because it looked complicated, but later it seems I could.

Your R... Rajkumar co-star Shahid Kapoor has had a string of flops.

I don’t think about all this. He is a very talented actor.

There are actors whose films haven’t done well and they have disappeared somewhere. But Shahid has sustained for a long time in the industry and today, people still want to see him.

He is doing a hardcore action film for the first time and he has done a good job.

Could you tell us about your character in the movie?

I play a young girl who stays in a town where these two people fight for power. I play Ashish Vidyarti’s niece in the film.

She falls in love with Shahid and he has to face challenges to win her as she comes from a well to do family.

It is a very well put together, romantic film. It’s a quirky romance, not the usual boy meets girl kind of romance.

So in real life do you prefer mature or quirky romance?

I think quirky romance is more fun.

What are the qualities that you are looking for in your Rajkumar?

He should be tall with a great sense of humour and can make me laugh all the time. He has to be intelligent and should be able to hold a good conversation.

And good looks won’t hurt either (smiles).

There is a scene in the film where you come out of the water in a sari. That’s a bit old-fashioned with actresses today wearing a bikini.

This concept was decided by Prabhu sir. He knows I am not the bikini-heroine type.

People keep telling me to do something different and I did it.

So is it a deliberate decision not to get intimate with your co-stars on screen or wear a bikini?

It is a personal choice. I am not comfortable wear a bikini on screen.

You have also done some action sequences in the film. Have you ever done action in real life?

Yes, I have once or twice. I have slapped a lot of guys in my school but nothing more than that.

I was very rowdy in school. I used to play lots of sports. Whoever argued with me used to get an answer from me!

You wanted to be a fashion designer before you became an actor. How important is fashion for you?

I have to look good, as it is part of my profession. I am not really into fashion, or brand conscious. Personally, I am very casual.

I dress up depending on the occasion. I like being simple.

In my profession, I have to dress up all the time so I make sure I use minimal jewellery and make-up and comfortable clothes.

Who according to you to is the most stylish actor/actress?

The most stylish actor is Akshay Kumar. He carries off whatever he wears with ease.

Salman (Khan) is also stylish.

Amongst my contemporaries, Deepika Padukone is very stylish. She has got effortless style. She has a great body and looks fantastic in whatever she wears.

Talking about Salman, there were reports that he is upset with you.

He is not upset with me. All these are just rumours.

Why couldn’t you be part of his next film, Kick?

Kick came a long time back and later on when they planned to sign me, I was already committed to other films.

I couldn’t have backed out of those projects.

You are a proponent of mass entertainer films. Salman has recently said this genre is dying because of repetition. Do you agree?

I hope not. I enjoy watching such films and so enjoy being a part of them.

I love to sing and dance. To be part of these films is always my top choice. 

Are you doing the remake of Okkadu?

Yes. Arjun (Kapoor) is my co-star. I will start shooting for it in December.

And you are doing a south film?

Yes, I am doing a Telugu film. I am paired opposite Mahesh Babu. It will start next year.