Anushka Sharma 'A Warrior Princess'

Actor, producer and total toughie, Anushka Sharma talks to Sandipan Dalal about the forces that shaped her into the fearless artiste she is today

- Sandipan Dalal

Anushka Sharma is one of those rare stars who have been breaking the rules through their films and actually putting their money where their mouth is. Her latest offering as producer and actor, Phillauri, is a satirical comedy about a friendly ghost who marries a manglik NRI. Sharma is currently taping for Imtiaz Ali’s next, The Ring, with Shah Rukh Khan, and also making a cameo appearance in Rajkumar Hirani’s biopic of Sanjay Dutt. Just 29, the actor-turned-producer tells us she inherited that straight-shooting gene from parents, Ashima and Ajay Sharma. “The idea (for me) is to not shut up when I know something is affecting my life. I also let my work speak strongly about it,” she says. We caught up with the star during a whirlwind promotional tour for Phillauri.

Your tendency to speak your mind on important issues is refreshing. How did your childhood shape this trait?