'I Wanted To Be The Best At Everything I Did'

It doesn’t take long for Rani Mukerji and Anushka Sharma to break the ice for there’s mutual admiration and a shared talent agency—Yash Raj Films (YRF). Mukerji is married to its owner and filmmaker Aditya Chopra, who in turn launched Anushka in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. But apart from YRF, the two have supportive mothers, a sense of humour, a similar independent mindset and a self-assurance that steers well clear of arrogance.

RANI What I would really like to know because I have heard it from my husband [Aditya Chopra] that you were not a very avid Hindi film watcher when you became an actor. You auditioned for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) and I remember seeing your audition and saying “My God! Look at the spark this girl has.” I wouldn’t say you were drop-dead gorgeous but there was something in your performance, something in your personality that was vibrant and lovely.

ANUSHKA Thank God you saw it too.

RANI How come you decided to be an actor then?

ANUSHKA I do remember asking you this question whether you were good in studies and you said that you were and you said that you used to …

RANI ...love studying.

ANUSHKA You used to get good marks. So I think that is another thing we have in common. While growing up I never had any ambition in my mind.

RANI Yes. but did you feel like what I always felt—I didn’t know which path I would choose but I definitely knew that I wanted to be successful.

ANUSHKA And I cannot explain this to anybody but I just always knew that I have to be something.

RANI Yes. You can’t pin point what you wanted to be …

ANUSHKA It was an instinct you know that I am going to be someone very successful but had no idea what. Once Adi asked me a very strange question: “Were you good in studies?”

RANI (Laughs)