Sonakshi Sinha on completing 10 years in Bollywood: I wasn’t asked if I want to , I was told to do Dabangg!

‘Thappad se darr nahi lagta sahab, pyaar se lagta hai’ — this punchline not only became her trademark, but also ensured that Sonakshi Sinha becomes a household name across the country. The year was 2010, when her debut film Dabangg, opposite Salman Khan hit the theatres. And what it did for her and Khan both, was something unprecedented. And here she is today, talking to us about the past 10 years.

To begin with, she wasn’t even interested in a career in films! Sinha tells us, “Life before my debut was actually going in a different direction. I was studying fashion designing, and was happy, until Salman and Arbaaz (actor, producer of Dabangg) spotted me, and felt I would fit the role of Rajjo perfectly. They were coming out with this film based in the heartland, and wanted an Indian looking girl and launch someone new. I wasn’t asked if I want to do the film, I was told! (laughs) I just felt at that point of time, the Universe was throwing something at me, a big opportunity, and I should take it. I did.”

The 33-year-old goes on to confess that it was while shooting Dabangg that she realised she enjoys this. Otherwise, even as someone whose dad (Shatrughan Sinha) was an actor, she didn’t visit his film sets. “I realised this is what I want to continue doing for the rest of my life. I started loving being on set. I barely visited my dad’s film sets when I was a child, so I was never inclined towards it. When I started going myself, I was drawn to it. After Dabangg, it took a while for it to sink that it has released and become such a big hit. People suddenly started recognising me on streets, calling out my name. I would go to cricket matches and people would say ‘you are the Dabangg girl’. I am a very low-key person, so even though I have seen my dad see it, I never experienced this in a way like that.”

Her decade-old career has been like a roller coaster ride — it’s had a lot of ups, but some downs too. However, Sinha doesn’t sweat it, and appreciates both. “I read this somewhere, that if your graph was flat, that means you are dead! You have to have both highs and lows in your life, that applies to each and every person who has been in our industry, or any other business, It’s a part of life, and not anything to do with just our industry. The only way to stay sane is to treat success and failure in the same way,” says the actor.

Giving examples, she says she has seen both crore club films and those which didn’t garner numbers, “Whenever there’s been a 100-crore film, you don’t see me screaming from the rooftops ‘my film was super duper hit’, and if it doesn’t do well, I won’t go into a shell and cry about it, I’ll focus on what’s next. I treat my next film like my first one. It keeps me going.”

Finally asked if it has sunk in yet that it’s been 10 long years already, and Sinha laughs, “It feels like they just flew by. It feels I just made my debut yesterday. I have enjoyed the work I did, and so much of it non-stop. I worked with such amazing people, had lovely and bad experiences. I am thankful for everything, I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t even want to sit and think where the last 10 years went, I look forward to all good things coming my way, because I want to make sure I work harder and not get complacent.”

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