From Meera To Aarfa: Anushka Sharma Is On A Winning Streak

Anushka Sharma has worked with a wide range of directors - a rarity in Bollywood.

Anushka Sharma. (Photo Courtesy: YRF PR Team/Prasad Naik) 

You can’t put Anushka Sharma in a box. The girl, who was launched in Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, has evolved into an actor, producer and star by her own right. And if you track her career till now, she is one of the rare contemporary actresses who’s not afraid to break the mould and work with a wide range of directors.

In an earlier interview with The Quint, Anushka had shared how she chooses her roles - be it Aarfa in a commercial blockbuster like Sultan, or Meera in NH10.

In the last eight years, I have chosen roles which have made an impact - hopefully. They have been independent, strong women… how we all are basically. This is a conscious effort on my part. I do films because I love acting. The fame, the money I am grateful for, but that doesn’t drive me.

Anushka Sharma, Actor

Anushka Sharma in a still from Sultan.

Anushka’s vision has always been to perform sincerely and back films with good content for posterity. The roster of directors who have worked with her have been eclectic.

Anushka Sharma with Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and Raj Kumar Hirani. (Photo Courtesy: Instagram/anushkasharma)

From Yash Chopra’s finale film, Jab Tak Hain Jaan, to Vishal Bharadwaj’s rustic Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola; a raging Shruti Kakkar in Maneesh Sharma’s Band Baaja Barat to the retro Rosie Noronha in Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet - Anushka’s range has been enviable.

Raju Hirani and Zoya Akhtar apparently even made changes in the script for in PK and Dil Dhadakne Do respectively, but she touched our heart with Meera in Navdeep Singh’s NH10. And coming up is Anshai Lal’s Philluari.

According to Ali Abbas Zafar, he cast Anushka Sharma as Aarfa in Sultan because he only wanted a strong and hungry actor.

I was always very clear that I need a very strong actor to pull off this role. I narrated the script to her and she identified with the part. I always tell her that if not an actor, you would have been a sportsperson, because you’re a very bad loser.

Ali Abbas Zafar, Director, <i>Sultan</i>

Anushka Sharma at a promotional event. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@IamVShilpa_http://https://twitter.com/IamVShilpa

We sure hope Anushka continues on this brilliant streak!