Swara Bhaskar: Wanted to be like Shah Rukh Khan, not a heroine

Swara Bhaskar is slowly climbing the ladder of success. After gaining recognition in supporting acts in films like Tanu Weds Manu (2011), Raanjhanaa (2013) and Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), she appeared as the central character in Nil Battey Sannata (2016), which received critical acclaim.

She will now be seen in Avinash Das’ Anaarkali Aarah. The first teaser of the film was quirky and received good attention. But it seems her aim in Hindi film industry is much higher. She recently said in an interview that she wishes to be like Shah Rukh Khan. 

Bhaskar was a guest at an NGO event in Mumbai. While interacting with the media, she said that she wanted to be durable like Shah Rukh. She said, “I wanted to be like Shah Rukh Khan and not a Bollywood heroine. I thought I would become a popular actor like him.”

She believes that it is certainly not easy to stretch stardom for as long as the three Khans have been doing. “An actor can become a star, but to retain that position like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman (Khan) or Aamir (Khan) for 25 years is difficult,” she added. 

Bhaskar also revealed that it is challenging for people with no filmi background to make it big in Bollywood. “Those who come without any reference are tagged as an outsider, like me. The most challenging part for them is to make an identity in the crowd. However, the positive side is that the industry always recognises good work.” 

The actress cited the example of Nawazuddin Siddiqui who has made it big after playing little cameos in films like Munna Bhai MBBS (2003).