In the Spotlight

For Delhi girl, Ishita Raj, Bollywood was never on cards but as they say, what’s meant to be will always find a way. After her debut in Pyaar Ka Punchnama, a sleeper hit that turned into a cult film for the millennials, there has been no turning back for this beauty. Whether it was Pihu from Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety or Zoya in Yaaram, she has left the audience in awe with all the characters she stepped into.

She is passionate, selective and a hopeless romantic at heart. In an exclusive interview, she walks us through what goes in her head when she takes up a movie, her fitness routine and her idea of romance. Edited excerpts...

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After completing your master’s degree in business, you went on to be a model and then made your Bollywood debut with Pyaar Ka Punchnama. How did Bollywood happen to you? Tell us about your journey.

I was doing modelling and was visiting a family friend in Mumbai, when the casting director of Pyaar Ka Punchnama spotted me with a friend in a coffee shop. He asked me to come and give the audition, I was a little apprehensive and had a lot of questions but I gave the audition and had a four-hour-long photoshoot, the longest I ever had! I went back to Delhi post that, since I haven’t really shifted my base to Mumbai by then. 10 days later, I got a call saying that I got the film and that I had to come back to Mumbai and that is how it all began for me.

You have worked with Luv Ranjan extensively in your career. How do you think working with him has helped you grow as an actor?

I have been fortunate to have worked with such a great filmmaker. He knows the craft so well, has a vision and is certain of what he wants out of his characters. He is also very experimental in the way he wants to try out his scripts and his direction. So, I would say I am blessed to have an amazing director who wants to work with me again and again.

If not an actress, what other profession do you think you would have been great at?

I think I would have been a fashion designer if I hadn’t stepped into Bollywood as an actress. I spend a lot of time thinking about clothes and designing them. So, I feel I would have loved doing it as much as acting.

You have been very selective in the films you have worked in so far. Was it a conscious effort? What film genre would you like to explore to broaden your spectrum?

Yes, I have been a little choosy. You see, the films that I have been a part of were great hits and were loved by people. I didn’t want to be a part of films that I wasn’t convinced about and the scripts that were coming my way didn’t excite me much. So I decided for myself that the films I take up, they have to convince me as an actor, even if that means limiting the number of films I act in.

I would love to work in a romantic movie - an out and out hopeless romantic kind of a film, where the protagonists die in the end. Those are the kinds of movies I personally love watching. So, I am waiting to come across a script that lets me live this dream of mine!

From modelling to staring in Bollywood films, you have covered all the bases. Is web series on the cards anytime soon for you?

As an actor, you want to feed your creativity and I feel the OTT platform is a great medium for that. So, yes, I am open to working on a web series. I shall be exploring and doing something in that domain pretty soon.

Social media has become an inseparable part of our lives today. Being a celebrity, do you follow any special dos and don’ts in order to stay relevant and avoid the moral policing across digital platforms?

I am not very calculative when it comes to social media. I think it is just a medium for us to communicate and to put ourselves out there to the world. I haven’t really strategised it, I just try to be myself and be as normal and regular as I can be, so people can relate to me. So there is no special thought around it, I just put myself out there the way I am.

Your Instagram feed proves that you are an avid fitness fanatic. What does a day in the gym look like for you?

Actually, I’m not quite a fitness fanatic. I don’t really like gymming that much but because of my work, I have to be regular and look out for my fitness. But while I am there I try to have fun and enjoy myself while burning out my stress and calories. I feel that one must enjoy their workout in order to actually do it well. So, I try to go to the gym when I am in the mood and I know I can work out well.

Every girl has an image of an ‘ideal guy’ in their heart. What is Ishita Raj’s definition of the perfect man?

I think it is very true that every girl has that image in their hearts. I feel in life if you come across someone who you don’t want to live a day without, that’s the place you should stop at. So, if I had to characterise my ideal man then I would say he has to be understanding, caring, loving and he has to be compatible with me.

What is your idea of romance - old school Bollywood or fast-paced, casual dating?

I am very old school and so is my idea of dating. I am a girl full of mush. So I don’t like the idea of fast-paced, casual dating at all, I simply abhor it. I love the old school idea of romance. The whole process of a guy trying to woo the girl, the mushy eye-to-eye conversation, the journey of the person growing a place in your heart - that’s a must for me. I find it all very fascinating and enticing.

What is that one thing that immediately turns you off when you meet someone new?

I am not very judgemental as a person, so I don’t think I will judge someone as soon as I meet them. However, if I don’t know somebody and they come across rude and lack the etiquettes of talking to someone, are impolite and throwing unwanted attitude around, then I think that would be a total turn off for me.

Tell us about your future projects, what does 2020 has in store for you?

I am doing a film with T-series and it will be announced soon. We have started shooting for it and it will be released this year itself. You’d see me back on the silver screen this year.

How was your experience working with FHM India?

It was my first shoot with this magazine and I would say it was a wonderful experience and a total delight. The team was young and the vibe was amazing. I had a superb time shooting.

Who’s She?

• Name: Ishita Raj
• Date of birth: July 11th
• Place of birth: New Delhi
• Zodiac Sign: Cancer
• Profession: Actor
• Instagram: @iamishitaraj
• Twitter: @Theishitaraj
• Facebook: @ishitarajsharmaofficial

Rapid Fire

• What is one thing on your bucket list that you want to tick off soon? Signing a romantic film, a hardcore love story.
• One secret talent of yours that no one knows about. That I am a national level skater.
• If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? I would try and be at places where people are talking about me and hear what they have to say about me.
• The first thing you bought with your first paycheck. I bought a pair of sunglasses.
• What part of being a celebrity do you hate the most? I don’t think I hate any of it. I enjoy being loved by people, I am grateful for that.
• Your favourite co-star? I would say everyone I have worked with so far.
• What is the best compliment you have ever received? After Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 came out, someone said that I have a screen presence like Zeenat Aman. I know I am nothing like her but it was a huge compliment. I mean she is a legend and ethereal, so it is a great compliment to be compared to her.
• One junk food you can never say no to? I would say ice cream, if it actually falls in the category of junk food.
• Who do you think is your biggest critic? It has to be my mom.

This or That

• Beach baby or Mountain’s child Mountain’s child, hands down!
• Salad or burger Salad
• Chick flicks or action films Chick flicks
• Movies or books Movies, I make a living out of it! (laughs)
• Cute kittens or cuddly pups Cuddly pups
• Early to bed or partying all night Early to bed and every once in a while partying all night
• Theatre of Cinema Theatrical cinema
• Frozen yogurt or ice cream Frozen yogurt and ice cream too!
• Walk the ramp or act on screen Act on screen because of which I get to walk the ramp too.
• Online shopping or strolling around the malls Online Shopping

Quick Favourites

• Social Media Platform Instagram
• Lip shade Everything! A girl can’t pick one.
• Piece of jewellery Your smile
• All time favourite movie Maine Pyaar Kiya, Khuda Gawah, Lamhe, Andhadhun, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
• Song that you’re embarrassed to like None, I enjoy all my songs.
• Fitness regimen Yoga and pilates
• Street food Gol Gappe
• Drink Mango milkshake
• Binge-watch Game Of Thrones

From the February 2020 issue of FHM India.