Sara Ali Khan lets us in on her journey—personal and professional—and the lessons she has learnt along the way

Is it her glamour or her understated simplicity—when did Sara Ali Khan absolutely floor me and what is it about her that is so exciting? Maybe it was much earlier when I saw her asking around for international roaming at an event—a refreshing reminder of how grounded she is. Even as she continues to come into her own and shine with each performance, it’s her ability to strike the perfect balance between what she has to do and what she wants to do—all this while retaining her individuality, that has everyone’s attention.

Harper’s Bazaar: What excites you the most about choosing a project? 

Sara Ali Khan: To essay roles, concepts, and stories that are different—versatility is always exciting. How is this going to be different and make the audience excited to watch it is always part of my thought process. Does reading about this character help me gain something from it? Do I understand myself better while doing this role, or [do I] add something that I understand about life to this role? This is what I look at while choosing a script. What’s also important is that it should strike a chord as I rely a lot on honesty and conviction. 

HB: We’ve heard so much about your belief in manifestations and gratitude journal. What are the things you’re grateful for these days? 

SAK: Oh, so many things! For example, my cup of coffee in the morning, my workout, the ability to spend time with my family, having a career that I’ve built and look forward to enhancing every day, and surrounding myself with positive people. I’ve always been a hectic person. After a long time, I’m finally learning how to enjoy the pauses. And I’m grateful for that. 

HB: You come from a family that has carved a legacy of its own in the film industry. How has it shaped your approach to your craft? How do you perceive fame and success?

SAK: Honestly, I think when I look at my parents and their career graphs, what sets them apart is originality. That’s what I’ve always aspired to do—be an honest, true, and an original person. If I’m being very honest, the world we live in can be very confusing, you may think you’re part of a rat race. This is where you need to remind yourself that you need to be yourself and a better version every single day. 

Fame is definitely part of the job. But I think what’s more important is how you deal with the fame and not let it get to your head. Being famous for being an actor is a part of who I am, but there has to be, and there is, more to me. Understanding success, failure, highs and lows, the fame, all of that is an important aspect of me, but it doesn’t define me. I’m in touch with a more internal core aspect of myself that will not change even if these things go up and down. You’ll be good one Friday and not good on another. I just aspire to be the kind of person who appreciates her fame, who strives for success, but doesn’t allow herself to be validated by that.  

HB: Burnout is common today. How do you maintain a work-life balance? What’s your favourite way to unwind? 

SAK: Truth be told, I think that every day that I spend on a movie set, I’m so thankful for the chance that I don’t think I’ll be burnt out in that regard. But it is the other things associated with the job that can cause burnout. For instance, social media, or always trying to present the best version of yourself, can be exhausting. It’s never the work. Taking time off social media and having a safe haven for yourself—travelling away from the city, meditation—helps me maintain a balance. My favourite way to unwind is trekking. The mountains help me identify the more important things in life. Be it meditation or travel, these things are therapeutic. It’s not escaping my reality, but it gives me the time to rejuvenate and connect with the real Sara so that I can give my work even more. 

HB: You share an endearing relationship with your mother and Ibrahim. How often do you go to them for personal and professional advice? How do they inspire you?

SAK: I’ve spoken about how my mother inspires me many times. But I’d like to tell you that I didn’t realise how much inspiration I draw from my brother. He’s extremely hardworking and has an inherent swag and confidence, and I love that about him. He knows who he is, and both of us are very proud of that. He maintains a great work-life balance, values the important relationships and prioritises them. He’s just like a cool, sorted, level-headed guy. He looks at things with a sort of pragmatism that I didn’t have when I was his age. I must also add that there’s an intelligent simplicity with which he views his life. I think I can and had made things very complicated. I can be overtly cerebral to a destructive end, but he isn’t like that. 

HB: How has your relationship with fashion changed over the years? What role does your upbringing play here? 

SAK: For me, comfort and authenticity have always been most important. But there are also moments when I like to be experimental. When I was promoting Kedarnath, I was honest, comfortable, simple, and authentic. During Simmba, I wanted to do something different. So I experimented with sequins and a lot colour. Over the years, I’m starting to understand that fashion is a way to express yourself. While my personal sense of fashion is still simple and comfortable, almost authentic, I also think it’s always nice to try different things. 

What I shot for Bazaar India this time, I don’t dress like this. But people on the set told me that I should dress more like this. I felt more confident while seeing myself in a certain way.  While I don’t think that I derive my confidence from the way I look, when you experiment and push yourself to try different silhouettes and see that you look nice, it makes you feel good. I’ll always be very comfortable wearing a white salwar kameez and I can continue doing that, but I don’t have to limit myself. Why not try different things, for you never know how it’ll look. Whether it looked good or bad, you had fun. For me, now, more than just comfort and authenticity, a good amount of experimenting and fun is also very important because why not? 

HB: Your girl-next-door image is often spoken about in interviews and on social media—be it your relatable fashion choices or the way you present yourself. Is it a conscious decision? What’s your take on trends versus personal style?

SAK: I don’t think I’ve spent any energy, to the dismay of some people, curating an image of myself. That’s something I would do for the camera, where I curate characters. In real life I am just who I am—whether that’s somebody who goes to the gym with five pairs of shorts and alternates them with crop tops, or someone who goes to the airport in athleisure but can also go in jeans and a t-shirt. My personal image is one of honesty. It depends on the mood that I’m in. I’d go for lunch and want to dress up so I’ll wear a nice dress, match cute sandals, and do my hair. On the other hand, there are also moments when I’m rushing and don’t think about it. 

My mother brought me and Ibrahim up very differently from how people expected us to be. It was a normal life. We went to the mall to play video games or eat at the food court. That’s the life I was used to, growing up. Today, I appreciate my job. But when I’m not working—going to the gym, cafe, travelling, I just try not to take my persona very seriously and do what I feel like. I give myself the freedom to be who I am on that given day, knowing fully well that it could be anywhere between a sari and a bikini. As long as it’s appropriate. As a public figure, you need to be aware of the trends and be trendy. On a non-workday, my personal style is way more important than following trends. 

HB: While social media has brought people closer to their favourite celebrities, it has given rise to trolls and online bullies as well. Being someone who often shares candid moments with her fans, how do you block the noise and stay away from negativity?

SAK: I don’t think you can stay away from the negativity. I’m a public figure who’s on social media. I can’t be unaware of what’s happening. What I can do is control the way it affects me—I have to not take it seriously. My sense of self should not be affected by what they say. That’s what is very important. It’s important to surround yourself with real people so that you’re not dependent on the phone screen. It’s easy to get caught up and lose focus on what the bigger things in life are. Choosing internal peace and travelling help me see what truly matters. And if you want to push it a step further, sometimes you can take what they say in your stride. Maybe they’re saying it rudely, but you can take it as positive criticism and try to be better. 

HB: Finally, looking at your incredible filmography, how would you define your evolution as an actor? What are the important lessons you have learned through the course of your career?

SAK: To keep learning and growing. Each film is a new opportunity to learn, grow, and that’s what next for Sara. To discover more aspects of myself, in more genres, and do what I love to do—entertain my audiences. 

Editor: Rasna Bhasin (@rasnabhasin)
Digital Editor: Sonal Ved (@sonalved)
Interview: Adit Ganguly (@ganglyganguly)
Photographer: Farhan Hussain (@farhanhussain), Feat. Artists (@featartists)
Creative Stylist: Rahul Vijay (@rahulvijay1988)
Cover Design: Mandeep Khokhar (@mandy_khokhar19)
Editorial Coordinator: Shalini Kanojia (@shalinikanojia)
Hair Artist: Mitesh Rajani (@miteshrajani)
Make-up Artist: Riviera Lynn (@rivieralynn)
Set Design: Janhavi Patwardhan (@theartnut_j)
Styling Assistants: Disha Punjabi (@disha.c.punjabi), Simran Bhatia (@simranbhatia28)
Photographer Assistants: Satyraj Singh (@Satyraj.singh) & Ehsan Mallick
Hair Artist Assistant: Rishita Hindocha (@rishita.hindocha)
Artist PR Agency: Fetch India (@fetch_india)
Location Courtesy: Snowball Studios (@snowball.studios)

Sara is wearing Noir sequinned bralette top and ‘Seer’ wide legged trousers, both by Rahul Mishra (@rahulmishra_7); Earrings, Amrapali (@amrapalijewels); TOD’s T Timeless crossbody bag in suede mini with ‘Himadri’ embroidery from Rahul Mishra, RAHUL MISHRA X TOD’S (@rahulmishra_7) (@tods)

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