The first session of India Today Conclave 2013 opened with Anushka Sharma speaking on "Bright Young Thing: Film, The Real Woman".
Here are some notable quotes from her session.
· It’s important to do roles that you are convinced about. The conviction translates to one’s performance on screen.
· Not only film roles, one should endorse brands that they believe in. We are the product of the choices we make.
· Items songs are extremely popular and you will see them being played in every other wedding. Popularity is an indicator of acceptance. If the public is accepting item songs, then they should take up the responsibility as well. It is wrong to blame the film fraternity.
· Banning and censuring films is not the answer. By doing this, the government is sending out the message that Indians are not capable of taking right decisions without monitoring/moral policing. If that’s the case, democracy should be abolished.
· Fear and insecurity is a part of every job. But one must channelize his/her fear in the right direction.
· Doing female-oriented roles is not enough to change the state of women in society. There is a need to treat women as equals, neither inferior nor superior.
· “I have never consciously taken up a role of a strong, career-oriented woman. I have done roles that I thought will work and which I personally believed in.”
· “I am lucky to have worked with both Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. They are lovely actors. While I know SRK better and have different comfort-level with him, it’s amazing to see how Aamir Khan compartmentalises his work.”
· “I am a terrible public speaker. So even though I was thrilled to be invited as a speaker at the India Today conclave, I could not get rid of my stage fight.”
· “When a sanitary napkin brand approached me for endorsement, they were skeptical as no actress had endorsed sanitary napkin brands before. But it’s the most normal thing. Every woman has it and I see no need to be uncomfortable about it.”
· “It was a lovely gesture on SRK’s part when he said that in his films, the credits of the female actors will be rolled before. But personally, I feel, there should be no discrimination on the basis of gender. The credit of the actor who is more popular should roll first, irrespective of the gender.”
· “My army background has taught me to treat me everyone as equal, irrespective of their gender and social standing.”