Whether it was her powerful dual role as Madhura and Varshini in Sringaram, her sweet cameo as Rama bua in Delhi 6 or her portrayal of a bold journalist in Rockstar, Aditi Rao Hydari has always won appreciation for her acting, irrespective of whether her films hit the box office bull’s eye or not. Aditi’s talent may have got her into the glamor world, but it is her quirky sense of humor and frank speaking that have earned her accolades. For an actor who has adorned the pages of the glossiest magazines, she proves that she is a beauty with brains.
“I have a temper which can manifest itself in big, fat tears!”
For someone who is so eloquent in movies, in real life Aditi finds it really hard to talk about herself constantly! She finds it tough to describe herself, to put herself in a set mold. “I find it hard to slot myself but if I have to put my traits in words, I would say I am gentle, trusting and loving, but I have a temper which can manifest itself in big, fat tears!” she says candidly.
Aditi confesses that though she has a quick temper, she is quick to smile as well. “The smallest things can make me happy, and I go into peals of laughter very easily. Those who know me say I am a bad meter for gauging humor, and my friends from the movie world comment that sometimes they want to plant me in the cinema hall on the weekend of their movie release, because they know I will giggle even when no one is laughing!”
She may feel limited for words while talking about herself in real life but she is perfectly at ease speaking about her real life. Ask her to describe herself as an actor and she explains how she comes alive in front of the camera. “Nothing can come between me and the camera. It is an epic romance and one that I believe will continue for a long time to come,” she says with passion.
“Music and dance are blessings from my mom, and my flawless skin is inherited from my naani. These are priceless gifts for me”
Aditi feels that her family has played a crucial role in her life to help her reach where she is today. She says, “My mother is a beautiful singer and used to dance really well, so art and aesthetics were a part of my everyday routine and I realize now what a blessing that was. I was given the freedom to choose my path and I have been taught never to take anything for granted.”
She goes on to say, “I know that if people praise my looks and talent, I have nothing to do with them and they are nothing to be vain about because they were passed on to me by my family. My mother is gorgeous and looks like Audrey Hepburn, which is why I also love Audrey. What is in my hands is my diligence. I can work hard, sincerely and with love. I know I am responsible for the work and life I create for myself and I always strive to make it better with each step.”
Aditi is a darling to many in her family, but the bond that she shares with her naani (maternal grandmother) is priceless to her. The doting granddaughter says, “I adore my naani; she is so intelligent, talented and always has a twinkle in her eyes. To this day she is learning new things with the excitement and enthusiasm of a little girl. She writes and narrates great stories and runs a successful school in Hyderabad. She also has the most flawless skin which I have inherited!”
“Love is life affirming and trust is the foundation stone on which love is built”
Having always been known as a beauty what is her take on the opposite sex? She confesses that for her crushes meant super good looking seniors in school. “Unfortunately, they pinched my cheeks so I could not get a chance to go out with any of them,” she rues.
Aditi says she is not really into the dating game, but she would prefer to hang out in a relaxed atmosphere with someone she may be interested in seeing! She stresses the need for love and trust in any relationship. “Love is life affirming and trust is the foundation stone on which love is built. I should be able to respect him for who he is as a person and what he is doing with his life.” Having starred in romantic flicks, what is the most important lesson she has learned about love? “It is that you have to just fill your heart with love and give it with abandon, you have to love effortlessly and enjoy giving.”
If she is not very active on the dating scene how does she spend her weekends? Saturdays and Sundays are me-time for Aditi. “I love to spend the night dancing, watching a movie or playing dumb charades with friends. At times I even have a cooking session at home. I can cook a mean Hyderabadi biriyani,” she says. Her secret leisure indulgence is a relaxing massage! “I also love washing my feet before I sleep and take a bath every time I need to get over something. I must be a water baby! I concoct face packs which work really well, I love designing spaces, I love doing and learning things, but most of all, I enjoy being in front of a camera and performing.”
“To me, the quality of the role is important and also the people whom I work with”
Movies happened to Aditi by chance, though she (secretly) always wanted to be a movie star. Craving to be a part of the magic that is the movies, she finds it really hard till date to believe that she is living her dream. Aditi feels grateful to all her fans, who love, encourage and support her. She says, “The love of the people is a real blessing especially because I am not from a film family. My first Tamil movie was offered to me after a dance concert in Chennai because the director thought I resembled actor Shobhana. One thing led to another, and I landed up in Mumbai with loads of positive thoughts, faith and dreams and probably too much naivety but I am strangely grateful for it.”
Her instincts play a vital role when it comes to picking her roles in movies. Having no godfather in filmdom, Aditi feels she is still taking baby steps in the industry, and that she does not have the power to choose yet but she would love to see her wish list of directors coming true. “I try and work on the best from what is offered to me and I keep my head high with my dignity and credibility intact. To me, quality of the role is important and also the people whom I work with. A director is the captain of the ship, so I strive to work with people who will create fabulous characters and stories and inspire me to give my best.”
Aditi had a great time shooting for her latest release, the Akshay Kumar starrer Boss (a remake of the super hit Malayalam movie Pokkiri Raja) but there was one instance when she admits she ‘freaked out’ and that was when the entire cast and crew played a prank on her. “As I arrived on the sets one day they sent a fake stalker to stare at me for what seemed like infinity; I pretended to be calm but my heart was racing. They still don’t admit that they did it, but I know that they did because they were all watching and suppressing their giggles.”