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Like I mean like I did tell Farah that listen I can't dance like Hrithik.

Because Hrithik is Hrithik you know. So please just take my close up but I

promise I'll do it with this.

Everyone keeps saying oh you should do films like this. You should do films

this. But there should be films.

Yeah. And honestly if you're telling that to an actor I'm going to give a

disclaimer here. Say oh I hope clips like this come to you.

In my vanity van, on the mirror, I have a picture of Lolo. And I have a... It

says, I am your favourite.

Correct. And there's a picture of me, which I put up on my birthday every

Me, at nine years old, holding a picture of Kareena. I'm just smiling.

Karina, Kalyani, Ananya, it is so lovely to have you on The Hollywood Reporter.

India, so lovely to be sitting here at the presidential suite of the JW

Marriott. Sahar, cannot wait to get this conversation started.

What a fabulous idea, I think, to have the three of us. I know.

Exciting. I want to say, like, this is the perfect too much beauty, too much

talent in one frame moment.

Also, so nice to have the three of you on the cover of our Women in

Entertainment.

power issue.

You're all powerful.

You're all at such exciting places in your respective careers.

And of course, you are on the power list, which is a list of the 50 most

powerful women in entertainment, which is part of our March issue.

So I have to start by asking all three of you, how do you personally define

power, Kareena?

For me, I think it's always been about

The presence on screen.

Somehow it's whatever you are on that big screen, it just holds that powerful

moment. And it's not the different parts or the success of films. I think it's

just the fact that if you can command that attention, whether the role is big,

small, however it is. For me, I think that's the power of an actor.

And that's something that I've always guarded closely with me. So for me,

it's... Just being even in a big film or a small film or doing something

different. But just holding whatever I've got in that moment in front of the

camera, holding that.

And if I can grab the attention of the audience with that, I think that is

awesome. Nice. Kalyani?

You know, in an interview a while back, somebody asked me, do I want to be an

actor or a star?

And the first thing I said was, I want to be a star. Not because... No, and

funny because the woke answer would have been, I want to be an actor first.

But here, and I'm a very private person.

And I have massive stage fright. I told you how nervous I was right now.

So it's not the popularity that excites me, but it's the freedom.

I feel like, at least right now, in our country, producers are more... willing

to back stars more than they are willing to back stories.

And I think that that's mainly the reason I get the freedom to choose the

stories I want to give them the kind of backing that I'd be able to give them

if I were a star.

And so for me, yes, I think power is the ability to actually

do that.

Though I have to say your producer, hats off, Dulkar Salman. I wish more people

were like that. I don't blame people for being very, you know. Yeah, it's their

money. It's very hard for us to stand outside and be like, oh, you should be

putting money into this, but it's not our money.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anand? I think for me, power is making a difference because I think as actors,

we're able to do that on screen and off screen. You know, on screen with our

characters, we're able to make an impact. I directly felt that when I did

Gaye Hum Kahan because so many people came to me and they were like, we felt

seen, we felt represented. And of course, like, I've grown up. I don't

make Kareena feel like that. But I really like some of the characters she

screen. I was like, I felt like.

I'm understood finally, you know, like something like the way Geet would just

talk non -stop. I was like, oh, you know, there's someone like us on screen,

know, we're finally being represented.

Someone needs to tell me to be quiet.

So I feel like that gives so much comfort to people when you feel like

seeing yourself on screen, like movies give that to people. And I feel off

screen also, like as actors, when we get the power to say no, especially as

women, we're setting.

precedent to so many girls coming after us so i think being able to say no and

to make a difference for me that's wow yeah you know when karina when she was

asked what are the two what are some roles you wish you had done she did say

and geese i can't do it like her but like i think obviously like the most i

knows that like i'm upset yeah but now why look at it i mean all the i think

everyone's choices.

I mean, both of them are just absolutely spectacular in terms of, you know, just

being brave enough to choose the kind of work that I think both of them are

doing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Do you, any of you remember a moment in your careers, a

project, a scene, a moment on set when you felt that you had the power, when

felt that you could.

give feedback or ask for something or say no I don't want to do this because

not comfortable it takes a while it like I feel like

my first few films I didn't know that I could say no I didn't know that I didn't

know it was possible to like because I started working when I was 19 I didn't

know that I could like you know say that i'm not comfortable doing something i

don't want to like even wear something on set or i'm not okay saying this

dialogue because i think sometimes we also don't realize that like films are

forever you know like just the smallest things that you might say people are

going to watch it for years and people are going to remember it and try to

imitate it or copy it so you have to really remember that when you're acting

know of course you're an actor you should be able to do whatever part that

want to play but you have to remember that it's going to be forever and films

are forever so i didn't feel like in my first few films i was like oh i don't

know that i can say this i can say that i actually learned from dipika on gear i

am because i saw how much strength she had and how she conducted herself if she

wanted something she would ask for it and it was never like oh she's asking

too much because she did it in such a

graceful way in that sense so if she wanted silence on set or someone not in

eye line or why is this dialogue a particular way or I want to understand

better or if she was asking questions I was scared that if I asked questions

they'd be like she's too much why is she asking so many questions but when she

did that that taught me a lot that no you have to do that you should be able

do that and that kind of gave me the strength now I'm only asking questions

really be checking everything

Kareena, do you remember? Because 25 years ago. No, no, we just did what we

told. We just wore what we wanted to. I mean, like what we were told to be like,

okay, with everything.

So, I mean, I've seen like a transition from that, even though I've always been

very vociferous about the way I kind of.

felt about things you know like if I was like like I mean like I did tell Farah

that listen I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan because Hrithik is Hrithik you

know so please just take my clothes off but I promise I'll do it with this so

that I used to always be like I am you know honest enough to say that and I

that was going to help me only because I'm like if you're going to put the

camera wide and I'm going to be dancing with him and I'm going to look I don't

know what cracked don't do that it'll ruin me so I mean I think if you kind of

know what you want also, I think one should always put yourself first and

forward in the film. Because I believe that, you know. I mean, it is, of

an entire team effort, but you have to look a little bit inwards for yourself

also and speak that.

Because that probably helps the film ultimately.

I mean, right now, at least, of course, after so much experience it does.

Earlier also, I mean, I would want to do things that I was comfortable in. So

that I was very clear about.

Of course, I mean, the director, when you write dialogues on the set in those

days and say, okay, now we have to say these lines. And I'll be like, oh, okay,

fine.

I mean, that's the level of good you had to be, Anu. That's right.

It was the lines. Learn, perform.

And then convince everybody that you're, you know. So now, I mean, scripts are

given like before everyone's doing like three months of prep.

Correct. Prep to, I mean, what was prep? We didn't know. So, I mean, I'm happy

that I've got this, like, time to just journey, to just learn from, you know,

that to this.

Kalyani, are you able to speak for yourself?

I mean, I think I've been lucky to work with directors whose first question is,

are you okay with this?

Nice. I've been very, very lucky that way.

But I do, I mean, I'm sure if I was...

in any other position, I don't think I would have spoken up as much.

But no, I've been very, very lucky with the people that I work with. Their first

question is, would this be okay?

And I think once or twice when it comes to things like, you know, she's right.

We often give everything for a take.

And we don't like to say no to our directors.

There are moments when you're incredibly exhausted or incredibly tired and you

give a shot. And then when you watch the movie, you realize your eyes are like

that. And nobody else is going to understand that you were tired or you

working 22 hours. No one's going to understand any of that.

I've learned to understand when it comes to, I mean, I give everything for my

shot and I've learned to say, hey, this is probably better for the film if I

take some.

Like, yeah. Correct. That's what I meant.

That if you are, in a sense, looking out for yourself, eventually that looks out

for the future. Yeah, absolutely.

And in fact, the first person I learned that from is watching Fahad.

Yeah. I literally, there was a moment where I think we were shooting at maybe

one o 'clock and you know how the light is at that point and the light's right

in his eye and he's like.

you know what, the light is right in my eye. It's going to be really bad on the

big screen.

I gave him my shot. I was like, okay, you want my shot? I'm giving it to you.

But he was like, when it came to his take, he was like, I need some time

this is going to be a problem.

He went to the caravan. We waited an hour, broke for lunch, came back in one

take. Everything was great.

So, I mean, I learned to say, oh, this is probably better for the film.

And then I learned to say, guys can, but yeah.

How lovely to learn from Fahad.

What a privilege.

You know, I don't know if any of you have seen this film called Sentimental

Value. It is just the most gorgeous, moving story of a family in Oslo.

The father is this aging film director, comes back to make a movie after 15

years, a feature, wants to cast his daughter, who's an actor, the older

daughter. But, you know, they have a lot of...

animosity between them she says no and then um he does this they're all sitting

together the family and he has this he launches into this monologue about

actresses okay and this is this is what he says he says it's hard to be an

actress you decide nothing yourself just wait for people to want you it erodes

your self -confidence and your need for attention becomes insufferable I could

have never married an actor.

Okay, and I was just, and of course, you know, he's bitter, he's trying to hurt

her, and he does, you remember this moment, Ananya, and, but it just, I was

like, oh my God, like, what a way to put it, right? And it's Dallin Skarsgård,

who's just an incredible actor.

Yeah, he's so good.

And I was just like, does any of this resonate?

Does, is any of this?

Not true, but are there these moments also in an actress's life?

Okay, I'm married now. So I mean, I know that the difference, but

I guess it is difficult because you're constantly, you know, like

always thinking about maybe yourself, how to.

It is because it's such a medium of being, you know, a visual medium and you

so much love and, you know, you get so much, like people just go crazy about

you. I think that kind of maybe plays on your mind so much that maybe being in a

relationship, that's how people look at it. Like it's very difficult with an

actress because somebody who can probably, you need to love yourself so

But I feel like not all actresses are like that. And not everyone is like

because there is a human side and I feel actors who are like amazing actors have

this human side to them which you can see on the screen and that human side I

mean is what they are and also which they do bring to their characters so

side I mean you can I mean it's you have to learn to love someone

And that just happens, you know. Yeah. I mean, earlier on in my career, I think

everything was about, like, okay, you know, what I have to do, like,

like, probably, like, you guys are young, so it's like, you know, I want to

this movie, I want to do this, I want to do that. And then, you know, it kind

of, like, shifts.

You ride the wave. You ride the wave and it keeps changing and just, like, our

life kind of, you know, changes with time, with, you know, age.

You kind of realize and your needs and wants as a woman, you know, change.

from a girl to like a woman yeah you know so um i think it's the best thing

like i could have done with being married so for me it's a different time

think like i'm doing my best work i'm a better person i feel i'm much more

relaxed everything all because of the fact that you know there's this human

relationship that i hold very close to my heart whether it's with my husband or

my children and that's irreplaceable and that kind of makes me allows me the

freedom to also

be the actor i am on screen yeah yeah yeah yeah but you've also managed to do

this i mean every phase of i guess Your life, you've managed to find that

balance. Can I ask her? Of course you can.

No, but I think it just happens. Like Anush said, right away.

I really can't imagine.

And I don't think this is just for actresses. I feel like I've seen this

father. Growing up, he's almost never around. He was doing what he loved to

And that's kind of why I'm here. Because I saw him enjoy himself so much on

sets. And I was like, I want to love my life.

Exactly like this.

But at the same time, you have to sacrifice something. That's why I kind

wanted to understand how you do this.

This is going to be the Kareena masterclass.

I came with a list.

This can't be on Hollywood Reporter now.

I think everyone would like to know this.

But I want to know what you think of this.

What did you, Alanya, you've seen this film, so you know the moment. What did

you feel?

No, I mean, I don't think it's limited to actresses. I think it's everyone in

the film industry, at least because as Kalyani said, even I've seen it in my

house. Like I've seen it with my dad and how he's had to adapt to the times. You

know, he was a big star before I was born. And then after I was born, he kind

had to.

shift and you know do films in another country and then he came back and then

was doing different character roles he wasn't how he was when he started off so

i've seen that shift and i've seen that insecurity and how it kind of plays out

waiting for the phone yeah everyone you know everyone like because so much of

our like our validation is is based on just Like on Friday, like it's literally

and it's for the world to see. It's not like you're getting a promotion at a job

and it's just you and a few people who see that. The whole world is seeing it.

Everything is so public.

So I don't think it's limited to just actresses.

But I think personally, like.

You can't let it consume you. That's something that I've learned because even

when, like it's not been so long since I started, but I also used to just

completely base my validation on how the film is going to do. And that's not in

our control. We can't do, like no matter, you may sign the most picture

script, you know, on a script level, like, oh, they have the right actor and

director and producers and it's a big film and we have a great team.

and then the audience doesn't like it, then nothing is really in your control.

The only thing that you can control is getting better at your craft and working

with good people and enjoying what you're doing, you know. And we're so

and privileged to be able to live this life, you know, to be actors every

day. So we have to enjoy it, you know, and we can't put so much like pressure

and like, because it's never going to go the way we want it to. Like the most

amazing things don't turn out that way. And something you thought.

is never going to work out turns out to be a huge hit so you can't let it become

everything about you you have to have other things in your life going for you

like whatever it is that makes you happy you have to have something else

otherwise you're just gonna like i think lose it completely because it

After a shot, it's like I look at my director for validation.

When I'm ready, I'm looking at my hair and makeup. The film comes out, I'm

looking at the audience.

My parents watch the film, I'm looking at my parents. Everything is about what

other people think about you. But you have to build such a strong sense of

to just not let it affect you. That's what I think.

Yeah, I mean... What did you say?

I mean, it's exactly that. I just feel like...

But more than that, also, I think we're all here.

I can't speak for you guys, but I think we all saw the downs as well as the ups

of our parents.

And we're here because we love cinema.

I don't think any of us would have gotten into this if it wasn't for that.

all seen the downs. We've all seen what...

how it can destroy a person when things aren't going right.

And so we still choose to be here because of our love for cinema. And so I

that reminder to myself that I'm here for cinema and not for anything else is

what keeps me somewhere sane.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, of course.

Yeah. Such a grounding, you know, factor is just being here and the work that

you do. Yeah. I feel, you know, that's just the feeling that you get. And I

think all of us are here. We're all... like different kind of actors, but it's,

you know, language, no barrier, you know, performances. I think we're all

because the three of us, because of the love for just the craft and just, just

wanting to be there and do it. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaking of the Kareena masterclass.

I love it. Why?

Why? Because I've said this to you before, but because I think it's worthy

repetition. The fact that.

you have kind of changed notions of aging and desirability

and what when is a woman sexy I do believe that I think I think you've

it yeah right I mean I would like to believe that I mean I know like you say

there's a lot of people that say that so because I think that I've just like

been there done it seen it all like

what excites me more is like, you know, going bare in Buckingham Murders. You

know, I mean, what, I don't care what like, you know, people feel, what they

say, they're okay.

Aging, I mean, this is it.

I'm in 2026, I'm going to be 46. I'm a mother of two and I believe I look

amazing. You do.

And I've been a size 10 and I want to own it and I want to be known for the

actor that I am. You know, I mean, of course, everything like in terms of

fashion or couture or whatever.

I mean, look at it. I mean, like, I'll do and wear what exactly I feel at that

moment, you know. But I always want to be known as the fact that, for the

Yeah. You're not as an icon, are you?

No, I'm not an actor. I'm a fashion, I want that. So, I mean, I'm like, what is

it, ya? It's okay. And how long are you going to keep running away from me, you

know? You can't. I love you.

I'm having a blast in my 40s, Anu. I'm loving it.

That's fab.

Yeah. That is fab. That is fab. Look at it. I'm sitting with Ananya and Kalyani

and we've all done some amazing work. I mean, like, who would have thought?

But we told you, right? I think...

Neither of us slept because we were so excited.

In my

vanity van, on the mirror, I have a picture of Lolo. And

I have a... It says, I am your favorite.

And there's a picture of me which I put up on my birthday every year. Me at 9

years old holding a picture of Kareena. I'm just smiling. Because she loves

herself so much.

That makes us love ourselves. You know, it gives us the confidence of being

like, oh my God, who cares? I love myself.

That's so amazing. If you can instill that like in a younger generation,

amazing. I think that's the first way. If you can love yourself, then you'll

have the ability also to kind of just be happy and love others. We have to have

the confidence in ourselves.

So, you know, I mean, this ageism in today's day and age, so I don't believe

that because...

I think today it's all about who's doing, who can do the part.

Yeah. Yeah. It's about the work.

It's about the work. Absolutely.

It's not about like whether who has, you know, six packs or who has this, who

has that. I think people are talking about like the part you're playing.

You know, at the end of the day. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, that's what it is.

I told her, I watched her film and like, you know, it's amazing.

Look at the kind of work. I mean, today it's like.

look at it. She's so young and, you know, brave enough to do, you know, a

like that. And people talk about it. I said that it's about that because you're

looking at her eyes. You're looking at, you know, not what like she's wearing or

what's happening or all of that is all like a, it's a parallel track that

happens. But ultimately it's about what's in the frame and what you can

That's all.

So let's talk a little bit about what's in the frame, right?

Because I think Loka was absolutely my favorite film of 2025, but I think Loka

is an outlier, right?

I think right now we're really in Indian cinema as a whole is in a hyper

-masculine era, right? The movies that are really landing are the ones which

have larger than life men who are either saving the world or saving the nation.

Women are peripheral characters largely.

Violence is... very, very strong as a selling point.

On ground, when the three of you are looking at scripts and you're choosing

projects, what are you seeing? Are you seeing enough material that's, you know,

that's giving you meat?

I mean, I've been thinking about this for a while now and I don't know if it's

the masculinity aspect, but what I'm seeing and so I always believe the

dictates where cinema is going. It's not producers that sit behind a desk.

even casting, it's always the audience and their interests that get people to

cast the kind of actors that they cast.

And right now, I'm going to say it's a trend because I believe it's a trend.

It's not going to last.

But the trend has always been about spectacle.

Sure. And every scene has to be sensational or shocking.

Yeah. And I think that it just comes, like it translates that these...

like violence like you can show spectacle with violence you can show

with like crazy shocking things and I think that's people are thinking that

that's what's selling cinema I don't think that that's what's selling cinema

right now but I think that that's where it's heading right now and we're losing

the small films like you said we're losing the small moments we're losing a

of the emotional

moments intimate moments and and it scares me a little yeah it genuinely

me but i believe it's a trend because it's not cyclical i mean you've been

through enough of these it all goes and comes back and the rest of it right yeah

but are you seeing scripts that give you you know characters that you feel like

oh my god there's flesh on this girl i want to be her

I think if we saw it, then we would be doing those films.

I think like, as Kalyani said, it's everything is very, like, you know, when

Sayara also came out, suddenly everyone's like, let's make Sayara and

make, like everyone wants to make. Or the horror genre. It becomes like that,

you know, or if you do a part, like when I did Khogai and Control, then suddenly

I was only getting films about like Gen Z and like social media and that kind of

stuff. So you need someone, like how Kalyani did in Loka.

you need someone to kind of come and break the clutter but i mean it just

everything just feels a bit repetitive in that sense you know everyone's just

trying to make what's working but I don't know what the solution is. We want

something fun.

Something fun.

Something like a breather. I love this.

Women having fun.

And that's proof that that works.

Yes, yes. That's proof of many things. That's proof that a woman can be a

superhero with Loka.

So that's proof.

But it's... I don't know. Do you get frustrated at not seeing enough good

material?

Yeah. Now I think it's all like thriller and crime and gore and blood

and stuff.

No fun, energy, colour.

Love song, love, romance.

But also I'm really hoping that I think what worked for Loka is we had an

amazing woman writer on our team.

And I wish that movies would have more women writers in them because I feel a

different perspective comes that way.

I mean, men write what they know, right? And so you can't blame them if they try

to write for a woman. It will go a little off in my opinion.

So I just think that's why movies are being made this way because there aren't

enough. Maybe it's an assumption.

But maybe seeing a few more women writers might change that. Yeah, I think

a systemic thing that needs to happen. It's not just actors choosing, but it

to come from producers, directors.

Everyone kind of has to...

come together and find a solution because like we may feel like there's

enough scripts but they may feel like you don't really know anything fun or

played fun fun ish fun ish and you know

every time i've done something that's been like 70 % where I'm like not

completely convinced it's never gone well so then I don't even 70 % no no it

to like and I'm like really like if I the first time I have to love it if I

back and think about it it means that I'm there's you know I've been convinced

about it if I have to be convinced to do something I don't think I should be

doing it so yeah but it's also hard because we

I mean, everyone keeps saying, oh, you should do films like this. You should do

films like this. But there should be films.

Yeah. Yeah.

Comedy.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's what I'm saying. And honestly, if you're telling that to an actor, I'm

going to give a disclaimer here.

Say, oh, I hope trips like this come to you. Yes. That's better than saying you

should do it.

I think so.

Yeah. Be a writer and write more.

Yeah. The advice is everywhere.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, there's also the whole thing last year, of course, which

there was like a collective meltdown about normalizing eight hour workdays.

know, Deepika wanted eight hour workdays. Everybody seemed to sort of go

this complete frenzy about, you know, oh, my God, what is she saying?

And the truth is that many, many men have for eons kind of said, OK, we will

work these hours or we will work those hours. Right. But it's also true that

film is privately funded. All films come with their own budgets, with their own

requirements. And you do whatever it takes to get a movie made.

How do you personally deal with this? Do you set boundaries? Is it according to

the film? I mean, like, for example, the Buckingham Murders, Karina, what...

Because you're working in a budget. Yeah, definitely. You know, so then,

how do you deal with those questions?

But, like, for that, I had to, like, be away in London and it was, like, 35 days

in London. So, I mean, like, we kind of divided the shoot where...

I would go come back twice because we had Diwali in between. So we planned it

such a way. So I feel like everything needs to be really well planned.

And you have to be very clear right from the beginning. But I'm also lucky that

I will be like, this is what I can do.

This is because I have two children. I need to come back. You need to shoot

other portions while I come back to visit them.

And then I come back and I finish the rest of the series.

kind enough to understand that I'm also kind of like lucky because when I'm

doing a film at that time then Saif is with the children so if you're in a

marriage I think you need to have like a partner who understands that this is

because we can't both be working and leave the children alone so it's an

understanding so if Saif's working right now then I'm kind of not on a movie so

it is a little bit of sacrifice of time or a film or

you know, maybe saying no sometimes to a film particularly, you know, because in

that time zone, he's working and I'm free.

I mean, and so I need to be with the children. So I feel like, obviously, if

like you are married, you have children and as a woman, if you do not want to

give that time, you should be able to have that freedom to say that this is

I want. This is what I want. I can only work these number of hours. I think it's

particularly fine to say that way before a film starts.

Yeah. You just, plan it you have and you have to be honest so if you're being

honest that this is the time that we can i can give you i think it's totally

fine and of course few days might go a little haywire because i mean it's the

movie business yeah there's there's no way that you know and someday something

might not go wrong or some sort of issue or location yeah something you know so

that you have to have that openness not everything is going to go as planned

So... That much flexibility you need. That much flexibility definitely should

there. Because then it's tough otherwise.

Yeah. What do you guys do?

I don't know.

I think they are the 22 hours.

We're also in very... We don't have kids. Yeah, we don't have kids. It's a

different thing. Of course.

But if you're tired, you can't shoot 22 hours.

That happens like once in some time. Oh no, because the Malayalam industry is 16

hour shifts.

16 hour shift. We just had a thing that brought it down to 12 and

I think it's a huge win for our industry. I think in decades, Prithvi

telling me they just go on shooting. 6 a .m. to 9 .30.

It's... It's at 16, no? Yeah. I'm really bad at math. 16 and a half to 9 .30.

Every day. And there are no Sundays off.

Yeah. So like, we don't really... And...

What that affects in my head is the film in the end. Because it's not just us

actors.

The entire crew is on set. And the crew has to come on a pre -show. Yeah, yeah.

That's crazy.

All the safety on set depends on them.

So it's a big deal that we've even shifted to... I mean, it's not started

but they're about to start next week. And it's a big win for us. I think

all of us were...

ecstatic that this new role came in. So now that it's 12 hours, because I've

always wanted to do a Malayalam film.

Now, yeah.

So now 12 hours now, we can't consider.

But you know what, like ma 'am said, I'm sorry I'm calling you ma 'am, but I

have to. No, please, not at all.

You can't say that.

You make me sound like I don't know what.

Like I said, K is good.

Icons are always ma 'am or sir for me, so I shall say ma 'am.

But, yeah, I mean, Cinema can't be boxed in to fix us, mainly because a hundred

things have to happen right for a day to go well. Yeah.

If the location permission, sometimes, like, you know, cops come out of nowhere

being like, where are your permits?

Yeah. It's all gone, yeah.

Yeah. If it decides to rain, it's none of our fault. Yeah.

One of our co -actors could be doing a film on another set and their co -actor

could get sick and that'll mess up our schedule.

So there are a hundred things that have to happen, right?

You can sometimes get magic in one take. Sometimes it goes all night.

So it's really hard to box it. But I think we all deserve respect and rest.

And we all deserve...

And I think that's what happens with someone like you. When you set that

precedent, there's enough people to come and be like, you know what, she's

killing it in the eight hours that she gives us. Yeah.

Let's figure out a way to support her. And I think that's what needs to happen.

The eight hours never happen all the time.

Like I said, it is never going to be fixed hours. But as long as

the intent is there, then I think it's a good start. Yeah. Yeah.

you're the 22 hour yeah it's actually the phase in your life you know if

just a new mother then of course you know and you want to still work you know

that's why things like this happen where they say women can't work after

marriage or women can't work after have giving board to children because you

need an environment that supports that, you know. It's not like forever it's

going to be like that. But also in our industry we feel like it's always

measured with the fact that of course producer is saying that finish it

The director is feeling like if I'm feeling working 22 hours a day that

that I'm like killing it. And so the number of hours you're working shows

you're like killing it. And actors may be feeling that I'm so busy I'm you know

like going at it or whatever. But the fact is that it's like putting everyone

risk. We need to like get sleep to look amazing.

And everyone needs to be on the ball. It's like, you know, going out to war.

It's a discussion and I think the film should be the priority. Like as Kalyani

said, in that eight hours, you come and you kill it. And like, if Deepika is the

topic of conversation, I've worked with her. Before she became a mother, she

like, there was no such thing like that. You know, she was working, coming for

workshop, no complaints, no asking for anything in that sort of way. And now

she's a mother and this is what she needs to, you know, kind of, be present

her child at a time when the first two years of the child and Kareena did that,

you know, she changed the game for like all of the girls coming after her. So I

think it's okay to have a conversation with your producer to find a balance

between, it's a private conversation you must have and it's something that can

be worked around. There's no hard and fast rule ki itna hi karenge, itna hi

karna hai. I think everyone is like allowed to have that conversation.

Yeah. You know, Robert Redford said that,

The problem with success is that it puts you into a mold.

I prefer independence.

All three of you are very successful.

How are you ensuring that you're also independent?

You know what? It's actually really funny because a lot of people have kept

asking me, oh, how has your life changed post -Loka?

The truth is, it's not. I'm eating the same food. I'm waking up. I give the

to my films now that I did before.

My day -to -day life has not changed.

The things that have changed are I'm a part of something like this once every

couple of months. And I get you guys saying such great things about me, which

very, very new to me.

So I don't really know how to answer this. But for me, like I said, nothing's

changed. And so I've always put my 110 % to every film.

And even from the very beginning, I was like, I, I, it's very, how do I say

this? You can't predict what the audience will say about you.

But there's, I've, I've said that they might like my performance and not like

performance, but I won't let them say I'm safe and doing the same thing again

and again.

So that's the only thing that I do to sort of.

Be independent.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I think just being patient, you know, like it's okay to say no to something

sometimes and wait it out rather than catching on to some wave or like trying

just do everything or be a part of everything. You know, like when you said

that, the first thing I thought of is this thing only, like when Khogai Hum

Kahan was successful or Call Me Bay was successful, the easiest thing for me

to... have done at that time is do similar things and get stuck in that

only playing one kind of character but and things like that did come to me and

they were great opportunities where I'm like oh god this film is like with this

person who I've wanted to work with but then you're just kind of repeating

yourself and you're not learning anything new as an actor you're just

playing to the gallery or like playing to what people already see of you so

sometimes just waiting and taking a risk

would give me that independence in a sort of way like when I did Kesari I

think I could do it and I was pretty surprised that they came to me for that

because it's completely different from you know the life I've lived or anything

I've known but I was like okay this is gonna give me the independence as an

actor to just go into the dark and just completely learn something new and you

know be in a new situation and just change everything so I think waiting and

saying no sometimes gives you the independence you know Kareena While she

talking about risks, I was thinking that you've done this from the beginning.

Yeah. Right. Year two or three, you were doing Chameli.

What is it that has enabled you through your career to take those risks? What

does the mindset have to be?

I feel, I don't know, maybe earlier on, obviously, I don't know how I, I mean,

I've never thought about it, but it just so happened that taking risks early on

in my career, I think has just helped for this.

longevity of my career.

No, no, completely.

But what happened?

Did you think it through? Did you say this is a risk?

I knew it was a risk at that time, but I didn't know, like, what it would bear,

like, 26 years later. But you didn't get scared to do it. Like, you weren't

like, oh, what will people think? You think she'd be scared for anything? No,

but I'm like, what would she think? Like, what made you, like... I was

like, yeah, you know, and, like, people would say that, okay, you know, like...

She can't play this at 22. Like to play this.

Character in Chameli.

And she wouldn't look like. She's from Kamatipura. And things like this. And

whatever. And of course. Everyone was giving that take. And at that time. Also

to do a film. Based on one night.

And with the whole set up. Yeah. It was like. They were making all those.

Commercial song and dance. Kind of movies. And whatever. And I was also

K3G. And Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. It was never that.

But I was like.

Hell bent. That I have to do. Something like this. That breaks away from the

fact. That.

It. just allows me to just show the world that I want to actually be an

yeah you guys are making me into this star but I always wanted to be and I

thought but I just said that all my life I want to act so I want to do different

parts and I think that has led to the fact that just being comfortable to like

play

this part in Jaane Jaan, Buckingham Murders, like where I was like, listen,

just want to go completely bad. Don't touch up because, you know, people are

like constantly like, okay, do this.

I'm like, no, because it has to break the mold. I want it because I want this

be for the next 25 years for me to be able to play different parts. I don't

to be stuck in that, that I want to, okay, no, this ageism factor that no, I

have to look 25 all my life.

I can't and I don't want to.

But I want to act and I want to act in different paths.

And so then also there was no sort of...

I don't know, like, massive doubt. It was just, I'm going to do this,

irrespective of what anyone says. Yeah, but at the most, what will happen? I'll

fail. People will say that I was, like, not good or, you know, not good enough

or whatever. But I have to keep trying and wanting to.

Like, I think, like, even Omkara was so special because it got such, like, a

lovely cast. And you look so pretty.

It's a stunning film. Stunning film. I don't know. I feel the energy.

Everything has...

It's destiny to come together, you know, every part.

I mean, like, Omkara was different to even a small part, like, in three years,

whether it was. It was completely based on, you know, the students and their

life and what it was and everything. But somehow, Piya and Rancho, you can't

forget. You know, it's just there.

It's etched. It's a small part. So for me, it was never about, like, wanting to

be in the center of the part.

I was like, I know I'm going to stand out in this role because I know I have a

lovely scene with Baman, which was there. I had the Dhokla Fafda scene,

I'm going to film.

I was like, you know, I keep thinking, they said, yeah, people will enjoy it.

They'll like me in the film and plus it'll just be like so amazing. So I have

think like that.

But do you think it was easier at that time to take a risk than it is today?

In fact, now I think that then it was very difficult. Now I'm in a different.

I think everyone is.

There are, I mean, you can't, like, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, CTRL, all these movies

are different, no? Yeah.

But you think...

Just on, I feel like because of social media now, like that, I don't know if

thinking of it in terms of like, in a bubble sort of sense, but I feel like

it's, at that time, so many more films would come out and it was okay if a film

didn't do well. You could fail easily. You could fail easily. And now I feel

like because everyone is talking about box office, the audience also knows that

it's a first day collection.

You just, it's like that. Like people are asking these kind of questions

going into a film. No, but it didn't make so much money. Then, How do you

make films for the love of films? And it feels like too much pressure, you know?

In your choices. In your choices.

Because it's like, now, you know, or they like, slaughtered like, but this is

OTT film.

Like, you know, people are talking too much about and putting too many things

boxes, I feel. And at that time, it was maybe easier to fail because there was

no pressure.

Like, public pressure on that. Like, no one really knew. But I feel if we chase

box office success and not chase the art, then you're...

It'll not happen.

I feel it should just keep working and doing something different and it'll just

happen. The love.

It's about people loving you. I feel like at that time I just felt like there

were so many more movies and everything used to just do fine only. Like you

didn't think like how much like now when I ask someone I was like did this movie

do well at that time and they were like no.

But you remember like it being okay that it didn't do well. It wasn't like the

end of the world. There was just like one or two people who would like

report on a new paper no one would really or box office and the magazines

would come monthly so no one is thinking too much we would wait for the

collection so I feel like at that time things were so much like now everyone is

giving their opinion and their review like you know like everyone has a take

yeah yeah yeah It is hard. But no matter how hard it gets, fundamentally, you

can only go by instinct.

Yeah. That's for sure. There's no other way. Absolutely. Because there's no way

to predict what will work. I'm sure you never thought you were sitting on a 300

crore. Like I said, the audience, they surprise you every step of the way. The

faith is in our audience, in our fans.

They are the ones that drive.

You know, everything.

Everything else, nothing else matters.

But like she was saying about social media, that's what kind of hurts when

things don't go well.

Because you never set out to make a bad film.

So when sometimes the conversation is, oh, you know, why did they make this

film? And they say it that way, I'm like, I don't think any of us thought

this was going to be a bad film. Why on earth would we say okay to a film that

was going to be like that, you know? So I think that level of empathy is

somewhere missing on social media nowadays.

Empathy and social media are not worth it.

It's just not worth it.

It's toxic.

Yeah, it's toxic. It is absolutely. So that's, I think that's where it kind of

hurts a bit because you guys need to know that we're always excited when we

yes to a film.

And so many people are involved in a film. They just see the actors and

like... you know, but there's so many people that go into making a movie, they

put their heart, like I can't even, like actors still move on, but the directors

and stuff, they've been attached to the film for so long.

Yeah. No, it's a tough one. It's a tough one when a film does that. It is a

tough one. I'm almost, almost at the end. I have to ask, because, it's also

a visual medium, and you talked, Ananya, about social media, right? And one of

the things that it does, especially Instagram, is always put you guys,

On a runaway.

Right. Essentially, everyone's looking.

It's like a permanent sort of.

Everyone has to be in couture. Everyone has to be well -drawn out. Everyone has

to do best hair, makeup.

I don't know. I'm exhausted.

Yeah. Isn't it?

I'd like to touch for tea. You know, if anyone comes to touch my hand.

Please, I don't want to be touched anymore.

I don't know. How do you deal with it?

I want to be in my jeans and tea all the time. I think we're all... They're all

like that. No, I think so.

You could tell when we were shooting together.

We would go earlier to film events in our personal clothes and all. You know

favourite videos are the old videos of film fair awards where everyone used to

go so casually.

So nice.

No hair, makeup, nothing. You used to just go.

No, I'm like, I'm really walking in.

Before you reach, you're tired.

Because you've done photos.

Is it me? I don't know.

just no no it's not i don't think i don't even do too too many events or

anything and i'm still tired so i can't imagine you guys it's a saga anu before

yeah huh before getting there also before getting there yeah yeah so

ready bit right which is like you know yeah yeah so i just want people to like

just like come and chill out yeah i mean why not but can you can you do that I

think one person has to do it and then everyone will be like, nobody look at me

for that.

I'm not.

No, what I mean like just normal, like really comfortable, nice, looking

beautiful. Yeah. But like, you know what I mean?

I agree.

But not everything has to be a look.

That's what it is. Like I said, I'm exhausted. Like airport now, I'm like,

please, I go in my jeans and my chappals and my hoodie.

I think you told my mom, you were like, I love how Ananya comes out of the gym

with one juda on her head and one like... But now you're dressed at the

can't, can't, can't. I mean, that's ridiculous, isn't it?

There's pressure.

There's pressure. On the aircraft, sometimes I wonder how people look so

because I'm like, you know, I'm exhausted after the flight. Maybe I have

two kids going at me. I want to just shy my head and be like, keep up.

I just walk out with my jacket and get into the car because, you know, we're

already jet lagged. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm like, people are rating my airport.

Look. Like, what's happening?

I don't know.

But you can all tune out this whole noise. Now you've come to that point

it's done.

Can you? Yeah, now I'm like, whatever. I don't care so much.

Yeah. You did at one point. I did a lot at one point. Everything was like...

I used to think for hours like about a caption and a post and I used to think

much about but like people don't care like you think people care but they

care as much as you think they care you know like people have other things

happening in their life and like you're like but what if they saw my one hair

sticking here and this that really no one but I like enjoy seeing people like

because now if I'm like like I'll enjoy watching like and seeing them and I see

them slightly more like normal real like if you put a picture like I like seeing

things like that and I feel people like that as well because they get to see the

person and the actor that you know a little bit of them also my favorite is

in the kaftan yeah we'll be with her eye patches i mean okay i won't come to the

i won't come to hollywood never know i might one day but otherwise

i'm saying that i want to see all of like i

like enjoy like i follow you guys

yeah if you want to see what's real also but the occasion you have to be

appropriate yeah of course if you're going for a wedding and you're going

love to also dress up in like my indian wear yeah yeah yeah a beautiful wedding

and that's fun it's also fun to look at you guys but it's expected every time

every day you know and also like people saying oh no so and so is not well

dressed or so and so was well dressed or you know yeah no no now i see all these

uh

Doctors saying she's had this done.

You know that's dangerous actually. How do you know?

And it's all lies. They come to us for this procedure. But that's very wrong to

put that. We should do something because it's not right to be saying that I'm a

medical person and I'm advertising all this. It's actually become very scary

now. And people believe.

Everything they see on TV. Yeah, because you don't know what's... Yeah, it's

like news. They're thinking that this is news. Correct.

Yeah.

Listen, quick question.

Okay? Just last few quick questions.

I just want to talk about the acting process.

So for you, it's learning the lines so you can sing them backwards. Yeah. But

nothing more.

Nothing more. I want to be prepared with the lines.

But you don't like... I've always wanted to ask you this question.

What is your process? She tells me all these videos of her. Like, during jumpy,

when she's on, like, her phone. And then suddenly, they'll call action. She'll

just kill it. You know? That's what she says. There is no prep. Yeah. There is

no prep. Unless, I don't know. Like, I mean.

No prep means, I mean, I'll read the script. But do you have a backstory?

Nothing like that.

Backstory? I mean, like.

No, no. I don't create my own thing.

Whatever's on paper. Because I feel it just, it'll clash with my.

maybe approach to things because I feel somehow I'm very instinctive. Yeah.

Like on the first year of shoot, I know that the movie is not going to do well.

It's so scary.

First year?

Yeah. Wow. It gives me stress that sometimes that, oh my God, like I know

this is going. How do you find inspiration to go forward?

Then that's the struggle. But then I'm like, I have to be amazing. And then I'm

just focused on the way like, you know, I'm doing and what it is.

So it's just instinct and experience now.

Interesting. Kalani, you have actually studied architectural design.

Yeah, I thought you were going to say acting. No, no. You worked as an

to a production designer. Yes, I did. So does that come into the acting at all?

I think what that gives me is somewhere a different kind of empathy on set.

I'm very aware that when delays happen that...

No one has planned for this.

I'm more than happy to wait in my caravan for hours because something went

wrong. And even while I'm on set, I think I've understood that there

is this consciousness that comes to you before action when you're suddenly like,

oh, everyone's looking at you.

Truth is, nobody is looking at you. That person, that problem.

So like the lighting department guys are not looking at us at all. They're

looking at their work. Everybody is there focused on their work. And that

of made me sort of loosen up a little in front of the camera or when I'm

working. So that I think is something that came from working behind the

But otherwise, I think they're two completely different jobs.

One is very technical and the other is a lot more creative.

And for me, I just surrender to my director.

And so each film is very different as a result.

The process is different. Yeah, it's very different. I don't have a stringent

process. I try to put a little bit of myself in every character, but Loka was

very different. I didn't do that also.

So, yeah.

It is different. Yeah. And Ananya, you've said that you actually are now a

technical actor. I think it's also changed really it keeps changing I think

like the films that I'm doing or what film and the directors that I'm working

but I like having like a little process for myself that I can take on every film

you know something for myself but then mostly it's always the director and like

chatting with the director what how they are like are they more like feedback

oriented do they like you kind of doing your own thing so it's it's actually

more just talking to the director but then having a little bit of my own

but lines is like the most important knowing your dialogue that's the most

thing don't do it it's basic but people don't do it but it's like your lines you

shouldn't have to think about them you should know like in your body like I try

to learn like the other actors lines as much as possible just to know to be

aware to be aware yeah okay what's the one thing you don't want to hear on a

Karina. Silence!

The shouting.

The shouting you don't like. Karina, what do you not like? Yeah, I don't like

if the shot is going on and I can hear people's voices.

Because I feel like you have to respect what's happening at that moment.

Even if it's for anything.

Dance shot also. But nobody can be yapping on the side.

corners that people find and decide to i think it's quite disrespectful to the

actor to any artist yeah that's possibly giving their shot you know so i don't

like people talking when the shot is off i think that's universal for all of us

yeah i think for almost every actor that might be a universal answer yeah okay

phones or no phones through the shoot or you you stop like once the shot

is done you go look at your messages Yeah, it depends. For me, it depends on

scene. Yeah.

If it's an intense scene, then I'm not into it. In fact, intense scenes, I tell

my team, please don't come anywhere near me.

It's okay if I look ugly. It's fine.

Just don't come anywhere near me. But I think it's dependent on the scene. Scene

to scene, yeah. Because it's a lot of waiting on sets.

Yeah. You just have to check it. And sometimes you can get so into it. I need

to.

One, two.

Yeah. You can get too into.

it and then you can start overthinking and it's great to have you sort of just

relax in between. Yeah.

Okay. Two last questions. The failure that broke your heart. Kareena?

Gosh.

Tashan. I love Tashan. But I just feel like if It would have released now.

It would have just been amazing. Iconic. I'm dancing on Chalya tonight at my

friend's Sanjeev. I love Darshan. What a movie.

What a car. Quite a face. They can love that movie every second. And I feel like

everyone was like giving their best.

Like everyone had just come into the film with like a hit which nobody like,

know, thought.

Because everyone had just given like...

big blockbusters and we had all just congregated. So I think everybody's

was like on another level. Sure. And everyone wanted to look their best and

everyone thought their part was the best.

You know, when you think that my part is best, my part is best. All the actors

are like, you know.

So it was just, I just feel like, I just broke my heart and because I just kind

of obviously thought that it would just be amazing. But it still is one of my

most favorite films.

You know, and I think it just.

the music. Yeah. Even now. Yeah. I mean, also, it gave you so much more than

just a... Yeah. It gave me... Yeah, it gave me my... Exactly.

So, you know what? It was a hit, whatever.

No, I mean, that destiny was just there. Yeah.

The rest is history.

Indeed. I think my film with Fahad Odungudra, I really, I think as a

story, it was a beautiful, beautiful script. It dealt with...

um depression in a very sort of i can't say black humor but in a humorous way uh

it didn't translate as well perhaps to audiences but yeah that kind of i was

very confident about the film and sometimes when you're confident about a

and it doesn't do well it breaks you it's like then you start questioning

everything yeah so yeah i mean um

every

failure kind of affects you in some way or the other but I think I've gotten

better with dealing with failure because when LIGO happened I feel like because

when you're promoting a film you're in such an echo chamber you know everyone

around you is like hyping you up you're everyone obviously feels like you'll

have put everything into a film and so and then the film doesn't do well it

it's like too much of like a juxtaposition in your feelings like from

high to come down is like you don't understand what's hit you and I think

especially with Liger there was just too much of like a social media

trolling in that sense you know so that that film just kind of confused me I

didn't know and I was going into like another industry because you know it was

pan -India film so there was like reactions from all over the country you

it wasn't just like insular to like Hindi or that sort of thing so with

was just very like overwhelmed with the how drastically something can just fall

and how to just manage I learned really how to manage your expectations then

after that now I've always been kind of like a bit more realistic after that.

Like, then I know you have to kind of distance yourself a little bit from the

design. Be zen -like. Yeah, be a little more zen.

For sure.

Okay, what's your favorite power flex?

Like, what do you love to do?

Oh, what do I love to do? Love to do as in? Just exert a little bit of the

power. Like that.

I'm sorry, I don't understand this question.

You know, like, I don't know. No, it can bring anything to, you know, restaurant

booking to private care.

Anything. You know, that day I called a restaurant. I'm like, oh, it's a Nanya

Pandya. I need a table. And they were like, sorry, we don't have space. I was

like, this is not a real thing. This is not a power place at all.

They were like, yeah, I'm sorry.

Try next time. Did not work out well for me

at all.

for me okay so I don't know if it's because my dentist likes me but like

go there I don't have to wait so it's nice it could also just be my

and not the not the act of it but yeah he doesn't make me wait which is nice

because I dread the dentist in general oh god you're like getting it out yeah

sorry I can't give a better answer yeah hey not waiting yeah

all for that yeah

Yeah. I'm always like, please do it now. Please, man. Please, man. I'm one of

those characters who's like so incestuous. So it's not power play. It's

yeah. It's a begging flex.

Please, please, please. Please,

please. And you get such dirty looks on people.

I get scared to cut the line.

But you never drop. I'm Kareena Kapoor Khan.

She doesn't need to. She doesn't need to. No, I'm on the phone, baby. You're

the phone?

Yeah.

No, no, no, no. But who will I call and say that to now?

It all gets done.

That also. That also.

Ananya, do you have one? It's really not worked out for me. I'm saying I've

tried these powers, but it's not happening. These powers. I think I just

seem cool to my sister who doesn't think I'm cool at all.

It's a sibling thing. Yeah, it's just really tough being an older sister.

I have a brother. Did Lolo ever feel like that? But you are obsessed with

other. Yeah, we're obsessed with each other. My husband feels he has

competition. He's like, whenever you're older than the... what's happening?

And you also have a sister.

I have a brother and he is not impressed. My sister is just like, what

doing?

Don't call me for your premieres. I don't want to know what you're up to.

I'm a movie actor.

Think I'm cool, please.

The day I know I look nice is if my brother says he looks nice. That happens

once every five years.

Hopefully on this cover.

I think this cover is going to kill it.

Thank you.

Thank you all of you. And, you know, more power genuinely to each one of you.

Thank you for having us. Thank you for getting us in a room with baby. All

together.

I don't think a masterclass is due.

In my car. In a car next time. I agree.

The Kareena masterclass.

It's 25 years more.

At least. We're more than happy for that. We just want to know. For us, like

what to do for the next 25 years.

I'm all, now it's time.

That's fine. I'm not giving any masterclass. I'm so like.

Thank you guys. Thank you so much.