On my pinboard: Anupriya Goenka

Bollywood actor Anupriya Goenka started her career with the Telugu offbeat film ‘Paathshala’. She was later seen in the commercial Telugu flick ‘Potugadu’.

She stepped into Hindi films, with her role as Afreen in Vidya Balan starrer ‘Bobby Jasoos’ and was later seen in ‘Dishoom’ and ‘Daddy’.

Her role as Poorna in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ got her noticed. Anupriya also played the role of ‘Padmaavat’, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Her upcoming film Maya, which is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, is based on the journey of a girl through three years, where she transforms from a docile, simple girl to a sensual person aware of how she affects men.

The actor has also done a series of advertisement campaigns for brands like Vaseline, Coke, Garnier, Vodafone etc. Anupriya is noted for the lesbian advertisement by Myntra.

Musician

Lana Del Rey

“My current favourite musician is Lana Del Rey. I find her sensibilities twisted yet very deep. She is one person I would like to meet and collaborate if I could ever. She exudes this energy which is vivacious and a little berserk yet true to her core. I love her songs ‘Born to Die’ and ‘Young and Beautiful’.

I also like listening to Cliff Richard, Phil Collins, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay. I have always been a fan of old Hindi songs, which my mother used to sing to me. I have always enjoyed classics by Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar and R D Burman. I also love ghazals and Sufi songs.”

Actor

Julia Roberts

“It’s sheer coincidence that a couple of my favourite films like Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich, all have her in it. I find her extremely impulsive, vivacious and true to herself. I also like Meryl Streep for the person she is and how she has balanced her life. Another favourite actor is Meg Ryan, so vulnerable yet strong.”

Travel

Kerala

“I’m haven’t been travel freak but I would love to travel a lot more than I do.
One of my favourite experiences in travel has been in Kerala. I love the energy there which is laidback yet fluid. I love visiting Kochi, the backwaters and the Ayurvedic resorts and also practising Kalaripayattu. I also enjoy Rajasthan, which has a lot of mystery to it.”

Cuisine

Continental and Mexican

“I love Continental and Mexican food quite a bit. I thoroughly enjoy having ‘Roasted Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables’, ‘Quesadilla’ and ‘Enchilada’. My mother has her own version of ‘Baked Beans’, which is sweet and spicy. I can have it any point of the day.”

Author

Paulo Coelho

“I like reading fiction more than non-fictional works, which are emotional, dramatic or even autobiographical. My favourite author is Paulo Coelho and his works like The Alchemist and Eleven Minutes are my favourites. I have read quite a lot about him and he writes a lot from what he has lived and seen around him, yet his writing has a certain mystery and surreal element to it.

I also like Khaled Hosseini and his works The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.”

Inspiration

Pushpa Goenka

“In my personal life, my motivation is Pushpa Goenka, my mother. She is the one I do everything for and she has always encouraged me. She knows and understands everything but is not judgemental. She is very humane and kind-hearted but also practical. In the industry, I look up to Vidya Balan and Anurag Kashyap, who are pioneers in themselves. They have created their own space. Offbeat and new films have popped up with Anurag around. Vidya came in at a time when it was hard to create a space that she did. Thank god for that.”