Sonakshi Sinha opens up about her work dictating her life: ‘Bollywood doesn’t have the power to devastate me’

Sonakshi Sinha

One would imagine that her brother Kussh Sinha is a big reason for Sonakshi Sinha leading his maiden directorial venture, Nikita Roy. But when we sit down with the actor, she busts that myth, stating that the film's twists and turns drew her to it. Being directed by her brother was a bonus. "I went on set thinking we might have our sibling squabbles," she laughs, before saying, "But it was professional. On set, I was the actor, and he was the director."

(L-R) Sonakshi Sinha with Arjun Rampal in Nikita Roy

Nikita Roy, also starring Paresh Rawal, Arjun Rampal, and Suhail Nayyar, sees Sonakshi as an author whose disbelief in the supernatural is challenged by certain events. The thriller was initially scheduled for a June 27 release, but the makers postponed it to avert a clash with the Kajol-starrer Maa. A decision that the actor stands by. "This was the producers' call because, at the end of the day, it's their money invested. When things are cluttered, there is no point in coming and not getting the shows we expected. It was a wise business decision."

Kussh Sinha

Do leading ladies have a say in these calls? "It depends from film to film. I can't speak for others, but I don't like to get into that space. My work is to be on set, do my job in front of the camera, and go home."

In the past few years, there has been a distinct shift in Sonakshi's choice of projects - from headlining masala fare like Dabangg (2010) and R…Rajkumar (2013), she has moved to author-backed roles in Dahaad (2023) and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024). As she looks forward to the second season of Dahaad and Heeramandi, she is clear what she seeks from her projects. "I want anything that is different from what I've done before and that challenges me. Those are my checkboxes. You pick and choose from what comes your way. But after doing good work, you're in a position to say, ‘I deserve better than this'. In the past 15 years, I've grown up in front of the camera. It's been a wholesome journey - the good, the bad, the ugly. The good thing is, Bollywood doesn't have the power to devastate me because I see my work as a part of life. My whole life doesn't revolve around it. There's a lot to life outside of work. So, nothing has the power to devastate me in that way."