Whether she’s portraying the ambitious Tara Khanna in Made in Heaven or taking on period dramas and thrillers, Sobhita Dhulipala has become known for gravitating towards unconventional, memorable characters. Over the years, the Ponniyin Selvan star has carved out a space for herself across industries and formats, earning praise for performances that favour nuances.
A recent visit to Bengaluru offered a glimpse into the outlook that guides many of her choices. Dressed in an ivory tailored suit with minimal accessories, Dhulipala was thoughtful as she spoke about storytelling (with essence of life, fashion and cinema) and navigating an industry that demands constant visibility.
Having worked across languages and industries, she stresses that she leans towards the characters she gets to portray beyond genres. What continues to excite her are female characters that mirror the complexities of real life. “Saying this genre or that genre is going to be limiting it. When I see a female character written, I think about how interesting real women are. They’re fun, jealous, ambitious, traditional, many things at the same time – always in this middle flux, so if there are characters that reflect this electricity, I’d love to play that,” she shares.
Much of what she spoke about seemed tied together by a recurring theme – authenticity. While many young women look up to her, Dhulipala remains wary of making decisions based on public expectations.
Chasing approval can lead people away from their instincts, she notes. “I don’t make decisions keeping in mind the influence of those decisions, because then you start making choices to appeal to people. It might come from a good place, but you have to own your choices . It’s more important for me to take a call on the things I have convictions in and stick with it, no matter what,” adds the actor, who was here for the launch of Carpisa.
Measured in her responses and thoughtful in her observations, Dhulipala returned repeatedly to the idea of staying grounded when asked about protecting her sense of self in an industry that often demands visibility. “Everything is noise. Like summer, monsoon and winter, society has seasons too. You cannot over-identify with anything outside of you. You have to be centred,” the actor, 34, observes, oozing poise, before turning to the shutterbugs.