What did you have in mind for the shoot?
First of all, you can say this is my gift for TT! (Laughs) Also, this is an attempt to give people a glimpse of a day in my life when I am not working. Say, a Sunday with Swastika, which is all about relaxing. I love my Sundays and absolutely don’t like working on one. Currently, I am working on a mega serial (Tomar Khola Hawa; Zee Bangla), and I am blessed to be with a production house where I have my weekend off. My film Fatafati has just been released and a lot of my Sundays are now about catching up with the audience who are coming to watch our film, during hall visits, and I am loving this experience.This shoot is, however, about me, when I am at home on a Sunday. I am first an actor and secondly, a model, though I started as a model. We are in such a profession where there is a lot of competition and if you are out of sight, you are out of mind. Social media plays an important role. When I started navigating the social media space, say around 12-13 years back, the concept of posting as per insights wasn’t there. I think I am still in that era! (Laughs) Though my team keeps pushing me to do many things, I decide for myself. I follow everyone in the Bengali film industry and I admire them a lot for what they are doing, but I like doing things at my own pace.
I handle my own social media because I like interacting with those who follow me. Overall, I have kept it simple. Obviously, glam pictures will get you more likes. I am glam in front of the camera but I like to keep it natural when I am not shooting. This photoshoot reflects that and is a lot about who I really am. I am sceptical as to what extent people or social media would like these, but I feel they should know me and accept me for who I am.
The monochromes look lovely...
I am a black-and-white person. Did you know, if you post black-and-white pictures, you lose followers?! I didn’t even know that! But, I love it. Overall, I wanted to keep it simple and summery. I love baggy clothes because they feel so comfortable.
What do you like most about Sundays?
Sundays are for lazing around. I want to feel like a free bird on a Sunday. This is more about what a free bird does on a Sunday. It is also about taking care of myself, giving my body rest and washing away all the negativity of the week.
Your career seems all set to soar higher. Many congratulations!
I am on cloud nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16! For Fatafati (where she plays a popular model called Biki Sen), I lost nearly eight-nine kilos.
It was a challenge I took up, which is now running successfully.I just want to work. I don’t know what is going to happen in the next six months or going further ahead. I cannot plan, be it a vacation or my career. I am a poor planner. So, I will take things as they come. It is also the responsibility of the industry to utilise my talent. So, it’s vice versa.
Creative director: Sourabh Basu
Hair and make-up: Sonam Jaiswal
Styling: Neel Saha
The ace designer has outdone himself again, and the BTS details are jaw dropping
ICC has named Yuvraj the brand ambassador for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies
The doting father shared glimpses of his darling daughter on the special day
So, is your next beach destination sorted now?
Salads, kulfis to cocktails and more — relish every item at the hotel’s Deck 88 restaurant