The one thing that everyone who has ever worked with Anushka Sharma would tell you is how professional she is. t2 got a glimpse of it recently when we dropped in to meet the 29-year-old stunner at Yash Raj Studio in Andheri. The actress had plunged straight into promotions for her August 4 biggie Jab Harry Met Sejal after returning from New York. “I am so jet-lagged,” she said by way of greeting when we stepped into her make-up room. But once we started chatting about working with Shah Rukh Khan, her favourite Imtiaz Ali film and love, Anushka didn’t seem jet-lagged at all!

Jab Harry Met Sejal is your 15th film. Does it get easier?

It does. I think I feel more confident. I feel like I am more in control of my craft and how I behave on a film set. I have become more comfortable with myself. I am in a good space.

You debuted with Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and did Jab Tak Hai Jaan with him after that. Has your equation changed over the years?

Of course it’s changed. It’s become better because of my comfort levels. He did make me feel very comfortable in my first film. He wasn’t intimidating in any way, but I guess I held such respect and reverence for him that I couldn’t cross that imaginary line and converse with him much. Over the years, I have got to know him both on and off various film sets. I feel like I am more comfortable having a conversation with him. We talk a lot.

Do you feel comfortable enough to give your inputs when you are shooting together?

Even in my first film, I was very vocal about my character or how I wanted to play something. And my director Aditya Chopra gave me that kind of freedom. At the end of the day, a director creates that atmosphere on a set. Adi was very categorical about giving me that platform. Probably because I wasn’t a trained actor, Adi was open to my raw perspective.

Imtiaz Ali is one of those directors on the wish list of every actor in the industry today. What was he like as a director?
Imtiaz is a great director for actors. Sometimes, directors aren’t very involved when an actor is preparing for the film. They’d probably just give you the broad strokes. Imtiaz really gets into the details with his actors and that always helps. He gives really detailed backstories. So before you start shooting a scene, he’ll tell you what happened with the character just before. Now I’ve understood why every actor speaks so highly of him. He really makes an actor’s life very easy.

What did Imtiaz tell you about Sejal?

Sejal is someone who comes from a set-up — her family, which includes her cousins. She doesn’t know a life beyond this set-up. Even if she travels the world, she travels within this set-up, she eats what she eats at home. She doesn’t really explore anything beyond this little set-up. In the film, when she travels with Harry (played by Shah Rukh), she sees the same place in a completely different way because this time her family is not with her. Her world suddenly opens up. That’s what I loved about Sejal. People are talking so much about her accent, but I thought it showed where she comes from.

Do you have a favourite Imtiaz Ali film?

I like a lot of his films, but Jab We Met is special. When I saw the film was perhaps the first time that I thought I’d want to act. The writing and the portrayal of the female character (Geet, played by Kareena Kapoor) was very refreshing and I was amazed by it.

Imtiaz fans talk about how they’ve learnt something about themselves from watching his films....

Ya. I think what all of us relate to in Imtiaz’s films is that love is a teacher. Love teaches characters who are flawed and complex to come into their own. His characters learn about themselves because of someone who comes into their lives. Imtiaz’s insight into the man-woman relationship is beautiful and relatable. It’s beyond just physical attraction and it’s very complex but also strangely simplistic.

What is love?

Love is an experience that helps you grow. It’s a great leveller. It has to be unconditional and it has to make you feel free. It can’t be restrictive in any way. It’s not about ownership. I am not talking only about a man-woman relationship. This applies across the board. Relationships that are restrictive in any way bother me. Only when you allow a person to grow in a relationship, do you truly commit to that person. Love should make you feel free. Love has to be all-accepting.

The other integral part of an Imtiaz film is travel. What kind of a traveller are you?

I like exploring and I hate itineraries. When I am working, my time is never my own. It’s always given on rent to other people. My hair is not my own. My face is not my own.... So when I travel, it’s my time and I don’t want to be answerable to anyone or anything. I just want to be. I don’t like going to touristy places. I prefer to meet locals, talk to them and understand their history and culture. Every place has its own vibe and I like to become a part of that. When I travel abroad, I can really do this. How many times I’ve had conversations with strangers...

Really?!

Ya, and told them absolute rubbish about myself! I tell people I am a writer. I really enjoy talking to strangers. When I ask questions, I genuinely want to know the answers. Travel allows you to do so much more. You find time for yourself.

When was the last time you managed to travel like this?

Every time I travel alone it’s like this. It’s the best thing to do. My last trip alone was to Rishikesh. I don’t need to go to fancy places. I just need to be in control of my time and the pace.

Do you have a travel wish list?

I really like nature. I went to a game park in South Africa and really enjoyed that experience. Waking up in the morning and seeing animals in their natural habitat was amazing. Humans think that we have created all the systems in the world but when you get to see these animals, you understand that there is this beautiful synchrony in nature. I like nature and adventure, so New Zealand would be a great place to holiday. I also want to see the Northern Lights.

What’s the rest of the year looking like for you?

I am going to finish Pari (that Anushka is producing and acting in). We have one schedule left which will be shot in Calcutta. Once I am done with that, I’ll start shooting for Aanand Rai’s movie (with Shah Rukh, again). I am excited about this one as well because it’s a great role and I’ve wanted to work with Aanand Rai. And then there is Sui Dhaaga (with Varun Dhawan). Sharat Katariya is an intelligent filmmaker, so I am looking forward to working with him.

When we met a year ago, before the release of Sultan, you talked about how you had been working non-stop…
That hasn’t changed...

What’s the hurry? Do you feel the need to constantly be making movies?

Not really, but what else is there to do? If you think about it, I have done lesser films compared to my contemporaries. Like you pointed out, I have done only 15 films in nine years. In fact I’ve taken things very light. Having said that, I am consumed by my work. I have been working since I was 15 and I don’t see myself doing anything else. I don’t have an alternative for work. I guess because of the kind of films I do or how involved I am in my films, I end up spending a lot more time  working. If my roles only required a few scenes and songs, perhaps I won’t have to be so involved. I am also a producer, which takes up a lot of time and mental space. In fact, sometimes, people complain that I am not doing enough work! (Laughs)

Do you agree with Anushka that ‘love should make you feel free’? Tell t2@abp.in