Mumbai : Actor Sara Ali Khan opens up about finding freedom in authenticity, trusting her instincts and embracing the uncertainty that comes with growing both on and off screen in Grazia India’s latest cover story. From choosing films that excite her gut and soul to surrendering to a director’s vision, Khan reflects on how experience has reshaped her relationship with the craft, the noise around it and the many versions of herself she is still discovering.
Speaking about authenticity and the pressure to be perceived a certain way, Khan says she has always believed in staying true to herself. “People see through curation and perfection, which is why I always abide by my mantra of authenticity. Be yourself because the person that you’re trying to embody already exists, but what you have is original and valuable.” For her, being accepted for who she is has also brought a sense of mental peace. “If you are doing three films and playing three different characters, at least be yourself when you are not shooting that’s where mental peace and the reward of acceptance lies.”
The actor also reflects on how her approach to industry has evolved since she began her career. Rather than trying to fit into a particular idea of likeability, she chose to simply be herself. “When I entered the industry, I did not think so much about what would make me likeable. I was myself and got lucky to be appreciated and loved for that.” Today, that sense of authenticity extends to how she presents herself publicly. “I’ve stopped performing for the gallery,” she says. “There are many sides of me. But instead of calculating which side of me I think you want to see, I’m just showing you the side of me that I am feeling most authentically on that day.”
On her approach to filmmaking, Khan maintains that an actor’s role is also about surrendering to a larger creative vision. “Films are a director’s medium. Since I first began my career, I have felt that the most important thing is fully submitting to the director’s vision.” At the same time, she is learning to trust her own instincts as an actor. “Trusting your character, your script to trusting your instincts as an actor is very important. That’s something I am trying to get more comfortable with.”
With experience has also come a different relationship with uncertainty. “Having seen ups, downs, highs, lows, I’ve become a little more accepting of risk than I was earlier in my career.” She has also learnt to distinguish between the work itself and the constant conversation surrounding it. “In today’s day and age of social media, it is so easy to confuse what the job is and what the noise is.” For Khan, understanding that distinction has become an important part of growing within the industry, allowing her to focus on the craft while enjoying everything around it.
When it comes to choosing films, Khan says there is no single formula. “I would be lying if I say it is just one thing. It is an amalgamation of things.” Sometimes, it is the character, as it was with Rinku in Atrangi Re. At other times, it is the filmmaker, as with Metro In Dino, which gave her the opportunity to work with Anurag Basu. And sometimes, it is simply the world of a film that draws her in. Ultimately, she says, “Your gut and soul needs to be excited about a film and only then it works.”
Looking ahead, Khan is keen to explore sides of herself that audiences have not yet seen. “There is a version of me that audiences haven’t seen as yet,” she says, expressing a particular interest in going deeper into comedy. While she has explored the genre in films such as Pati Patni Aur Woh Do and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, she hopes to take it further with a full-fledged comedy.
Her understanding of acting has also changed with time. “Much like everybody else, we evolve every day.” That evolution has made her look at her earlier performances differently. “If I was to do Kedarnath or Atrangi Re again today, I’d do it differently.” For Khan, growth appears to lie not in holding on to a fixed version of herself, but in allowing every experience to change the actor she becomes.
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