COVER STORY
A
families. In fact, some even took
their families to watch the film.
A friend of mine messaged me
saying that when the film was
playing on the OTT platform,
he asked his mother to watch it.
She was sobbing by the end of it.
The film has been used as a tool
to come out.WHAT DREW YOU TOWARDS
THE ZOYA FACTOR?
It’s a sweet love story. This
girl I’m playing is a full mess.
She’s a so-called loser. As in her
work life, nothing is happening
in her love life too. Then she
falls in love with the captain of
the Indian cricket team, who’s
basically God in India. I believe
comedy is my forte. Even though
people like me doing drama,
I enjoy doing comedy.RECENTLY, A WEBSITE WROTE, ‘DULQUER
SALMAAN’S THE ZOYA FACTOR TO CLASH
WITH ANOTHER FILM’. YOU TWEETED
BACK SAYING THAT IT’S YOUR FILM AS
YOU’RE PLAYING ZOYA...
(Smiles) They said that Dulquer
Salmaan’s The Zoya Factor is
releasing with Vidyut Jammwal’s
Commando 3 on the same day.
I just retweeted saying that the
film is called The Zoya Factor
and I play Zoya. It’s my film.
I’m playing the titular character.DOES IT ANNOY YOU THAT IT’S STILL
A MAN’S INDUSTRY?
It’s misogynistic and extremely
sexist. It’s unfortunate but that’s
the way it is.BUT TODAY MARRIED ACTRESSES LIKE
KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN, DEEPIKA
PADUKONE, ANUSHKA SHARMA... AND
YOU ARE DOING WELL PROFESSIONALLY
AS WELL. ISN’T THIS A HEALTHY TREND?
Honestly, it’s complicated.
I struggle every day in
this industry. This is a just
small thing.WHEN AN A-LISTER LIKE YOU TALKS OF
STRUGGLE IT SEEMS SURPRISING....
Initially, when I came in the
industry, everyone said she’simportant to work with the right
people. Someone might be the
best filmmaker or the best actor
in the country but if their moral
compass is off, I don’t wish to be
around them. I believe, in some
way, that amounts to encouraging
them.WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO DO EK LADKI KO
DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA?
I did this film intentionally
because when I signed the
film, homosexuality wasn’t yet
decriminalised. That time we
weren’t even sure whether the
film would be able to release or
not. But we believed it was about
time we made such a film. You
can’t term the film ‘arty’. Rather,
it was made to change the way
people think. People like you and
me will not find anything wrong
with it. But there are people,
who aren’t even aware of its
existence. So, this film was made
for them. People in cities like
Delhi or Chandigarh saw Anil
Kapoor accepting the fact that his
daughter is gay in the film.
It was done in a wholesome way.
It wasn’t provocative.WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED WHEN THE FILM
FAILED TO PULL IN AUDIENCES?
The film was critically acclaimed.
My last film that got reviews like
this was Neerja. If you release
it in 500 screens, what do you
expect? If the budget to promote
it was only so much, what can
you do? Honestly, I was not
expecting it to be more than what
it got. I’m happy with how the
film is doing online. I was happy
with the opening. There are films
with 2000-3000 screens, whose
opening numbers are way less
than what Ek Ladki... managed.WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DID
YOU RECEIVE ABOUT THE FILM ON
SOCIAL MEDIA?
If you go through my Instagram
or Twitter... there have been
several who’ve shared how the
film changed their lives, how it
helped them come out to theirLIFE AFTER MARRIAGE AND AT THE
MOVIES... HOW DIFFERENT ARE
THINGS FOR YOU?
Apart from the fact that I have
a husband and I live between
three cities and three homes, my
life is still going the way it was
before. It’s hectic but incredible
at the same time. I’m having the
best time.HOW DO YOU MANAGE LIVING BETWEEN
LONDON, DELHI AND MUMBAI?
I manage it because I enjoy it.
I’ve always travelled a lot but
I never had homes in different
cities. Earlier, I
stayed in hotels.
Now, I go from
one home to
another. It’s just
about travelling
light and
having your set-
up everywhere.
It’s tough but if
you’re spending
that time with
your best
friend, who’s
also the love
of your life, it
becomes an
adventure.WOULD YOU HAVE
PREFERRED IT ANY
OTHER WAY?
I guess,
I would’ve got
bored. We Geminis, get bored
easily. I believe Anand (Ahuja)
was made exactly and perfectly
for me. I’ve never met anyone,
who travels as much as he does
and who works as hard as he
does and yet has fun while at it.
He takes his work seriously but
doesn’t take himself seriously,
which is nice.IN TERMS OF YOUR WORK, YOU SEEM
TO HAVE GROWN SELECTIVE...
I was always selective. We all
have a responsibility towards
what we do. Forget the story
and the film; it’s also about the
people you’re working with. It’sANAND IS EXTREMELY
SUPPORTIVE. BUT
HE BELIEVES THAT
YOU SHOULD SPEAK
THROUGH YOUR
WORK. HE SAYS
YOUR ONE TWEET
WILL BE FORGOTTEN
BUT YOUR WORK
WILL GO DOWN IN
HISTORY. SO NOW,
I’VE DECIDED TO
KEEP MUM AND JUST
DO THINGS THAT
I BELIEVE IN