The price of fame

Open talk

Anushka Sharma has emerged as one of the most successful young stars of Bollywood but the actor says she cannot imagine herself handling stardom the way Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan do. Anushka, who made her debut with Shah Rukh in ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, went on to star opposite Aamir Khan in ‘PK’ and Salman in ‘Sultan’.

The 28-year-old actor says she has not achieved superstardom yet but whatever she has, scares her.

“I sometimes think about this (stardom) and get scared. I haven’t experienced superstardom like Salman, Shah Rukh or Aamir. But even this can give a false sense. I won’t be able to handle it. It’s a talent the way Salman, Shah Rukh handle their stardom,” she said.

Citing an example of SRK, with whom she has collaborated for the third time in Imtiaz Ali’s upcoming project, Anushka said, “I recently worked with Shah Rukh and the dedication with which he works, the enthusiasm and the amount of respect he gives to the director, despite coming a long way in life, is not easy.”

Anushka may have had a great run at the box office but she does not take her success seriously.

“I am very sure that if I had become too aware of my stardom, it would’ve been a very difficult process for me. I am a simple person. I’ve never thought that I am special and have believed everyone is just doing their job,” she said.

“I believe if I start taking myself too seriously, it will affect my creativity. Once ego enters your creativity, it destroys you. Stardom gives you a false sense of self. These are transitory things, these will eventually go away,” she added.