Rab ne bana di jodi’s Taani

t2: First things first, you were really very good in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi…

Anushka Sharma: Thanks so much! Glad that you liked the film.

What was Anushka before becoming SRK’s heroine?

I am from Bangalore. I come from an army background. I was always interested in modelling. I was about 15 when I started modelling. I started out while still in school, doing modelling over the weekends. After school, I wanted to pursue it even further. I moved to Mumbai one-and-a-half-years back. Luckily, it worked out well for me. Even while I was in Bangalore, I knew a lot of designers and choreographers. So it wasn’t anything different in Mumbai. Just that I got more work. I started out as a showstopper and soon I was doing lots of shows and lots of fashion weeks.

And how did the acting-ka-bhoot get into your head?

(Laughs) The acting-ka-bhoot was never there! It’s a bit complex. I didn’t have any knowledge about movies. Nobody in my family, door door tak, had anything to do with movies. Just because of the fear of the unknown I never wanted to venture into it. When I came to Mumbai, besides the modelling offers, I was getting a lot of film offers. I always had an open mind, I mean, I was only 19 and who was I to say what lay ahead. I also maintained that I didn’t want to try too hard to get into films. I would not send my portfolio pictures to directors and producers. I was very clear, that if I do leave modelling, which was my first love, it had to be something really good.

It couldn’t have been better than Rab Ne. How did that happen?

It was a very conventional way of doing it (laughs)! My pictures were shortlisted by Yash Raj Films. Then I went and auditioned for it, just like I would audition for an ad. I went with very little expectations. I had no idea it was Adi’s film and Shah Rukh was going to star in it!

What did you have to do in the first audition?

Anushka Sharma with Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

I think I said a few lines from DDLJ! The portion where Kajol asks her dad for permission to go for the Europe tour. I was asked not to do it like Kajol but to interpret it with my intelligence.

Were you a DDLJ freak?

No… (laughs). When Dilwale released, I was very young, I was about… I am 20 now. Will you do the math for me please (laughs)?

You were seven…

Yes, I was six or seven. So at that age I don’t think you would go and watch a film 200 times. But yes, DDLJ was the first film I saw in a theatre. That was the first film my parents took me to.

When did you know that it was an Aditya Chopra film starring Shah Rukh Khan?

I knew it from the newspapers after the first audition. And I was like if it happens it’s damn good, if it doesn’t happen, good as well…. I was told that I was shortlisted but they were looking at other girls because they wanted to be very sure. Then I was called in for another audition. I wasn’t aware that Aditya Chopra himself would take the audition this time. That was a total surprise. I was completely taken aback. I was so nervous…

What did you have to do?

This time the lines were from Rab Ne but I didn’t know it then. The audition went off pretty well keeping in mind that I was meeting Adi for the first time (smiles). I somehow geared up and got my act together.

Have you had no acting experience or training before?

Not really. I had done a small acting workshop with a guy called Vidur. You know there comes a dull phase every season in modelling and I did the workshop with other modelling girls because I had to be occupied with something.