When Salman Khan serenaded her in Tere Mast Mast Do Nain in Dabangg, he was the envy of every man who fell in love at first sight with the doe-eyed Sonakshi Sinha. The film went on to fetch her the best female debut actor award, and she became famous as a bubbly, chirpy 20-something sans any attitude and with the coolness of ‘accept me as I am’.
This very attribute got her tomboyish roles in films like Rowdy Rathore, Son of Sardar, Dabangg 2, Himmatwala, R. Rajkumar, Bullet Raja etc, till the film Lootera which established her as a talented actor. Her role of a TB-afflicted girl who is cheated in love also landed her a nomination for best actor. Now she adds another feather to her cap — singing her way into hearts and success with the single, Aaj Mood Ishqholic Hai.
A recent Wikipedia entry describes you as ‘an Indian rapper, singer and actress’. How would you like it to be — an actor who can sing or a singer who can also act?
Sonakshi Sinha in conversation with Surekha Kadapa-Bose
I would like to be known as an actor who is multitalented. Why just stop at singing? I can dance, sketch, design and do so much more. Wait and I’ll bring all my talents to the fore.
How have critics and fans reacted to your debut song Aaj Mood Ishqholic Hai and how did you prepare for it? As a fashion design graduate who worked as a costume designer before taking up acting, when did music happen?
So far I’ve got great response from fans as well as colleagues. They have showed tremendous support on Twitter, especially. It’s very sweet of them and I’m really touched. It’s been my childhood dream to record an album and these are just baby steps towards it. There was no preparation as such. When one works with a talented team like T-series, Meet brothers and lyricist Kumaar, you are bound to come up with a great product. We recorded the song in just two days.
From Dabangg to playing a Raw agent in Force 2, it’s been five long years. How have you as an actor and an individual changed during this time? You came across as a very confident individual in your debut film.
I have always been confident about my capabilities. These five years have been a tremendous learning experience. Whatever I know about my profession is through experience and I’m truly thankful. As a person, I don’t think I have changed much, if anything I have only become more relaxed and calm.
Are you still the young daughter of Shatrughan Sinha or has the industry started accepting you for yourself?
They accepted me as Sonakshi Sinha from my very first film! I have been lucky that I was able to step out from the shadow of a great actor like my father early on in my career. Now people go up to my father and say ‘you’re Sonakshi Sinha’s father’ and that makes him so proud.