Kiara Advani has had a successful year, thanks to 'Kabir Singh', and is looking for more good news before she bids 2019 adieu. Sitting on the couch, the actor admits the love she’s getting from the audience is overwhelming. “Recently Akshay sir and I were in Chandigarh for a song launch and there were around 8000 people who started chanting 'Priti, Priti' as soon as I walked in. That’s when it hit me that certain characters connect magically with people and live on, long after the film has ended. That’s what 'Kabir Singh' did for me,” she gushes. Has the attitude of filmmakers changed towards her since the release of the 'Arjun Reddy' remake? “I think it started changing after her web series, when they saw the performer in me,” she asserts, admitting that even though she entered Bollywood five years ago with 'Fugly', many think she debuted with the Shahid Kapoor starrer. “When the MS Dhoni biopic came out, they thought that was my first film, now they say it’s 'Kabir Singh',” she chuckles, saying every film has been a turning point in her life and strengthened her foundation.
Kiara describes her character, Monika, in 'Good Newwz' as “a loud, bubbly, jovial Punjabi kudi” and recalls that she started shooting for the film as soon as she wrapped up the earlier film, in fact, the very next day so the transition from a subdued, introverted Priti to the larger than-life Monika was quite a challenge. “I could finally let go and be my exuberant self,” she exults.
So, which other actors are on her wish list? “Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and Varun Dhawan, the list goes on… I even want to work with Mr Bachchan,” she rattles off. Prod her on her collaboration with Varun in Shashank Khaitan’s next and Kiara gets a tad defensive. “You’ll have to wait for an announcement.”
Is she satisfied with the way her career is going? “Five years ago, if somebody had asked me where I saw myself in five years, this is where I would have wanted to be. I think something right is happening in this journey,” she beams, hoping 2020 will be her year. “In the next five years, I just want to be the best.” —Mumbai Mirror
