Eyes brimming with dreams of a bright future, Urvashi counts her blessings and talks about the road she is headed to!
She glides like a white swan draped in a stunning embroidered off-white lehenga as she poses for our cover shoot. Urvashi Rautela, who is topping the chart of ‘sizzling sensations’ after her two recent releases, ‘Sanam re’ and ‘Great Grand Masti’, flashes an irresistible smile as she exuberates unparalleled charm, dressed as the ‘Royalty’ to wrap our magazine in the magnificence of her alluring beauty. We indulge in a quick chat and she fills the ambience
with the harmony of her voice.
“Wedding Affair is one of the most prestigious magazines in the world of weddings and I am honoured to be the face of WA for the second time. I still remember I was only a model when I posed for WA’s cover for the first time. This time, I am bedecked in the splendor of an ethereal theme. The royalty I have been drenched in, feels amazing,” says the enchanting beauty. Her speech acquires an excited tone as the theme of the shoot reminds her of the impending Big Fat Indian Wedding of her sibling. “From the designs I want to wear on each day of celebration, to the makeup looks I wish to experiment on, everything is planned already, it’s just the wedding that needs to happen. I love the entire planning that is involved in luxuriant Indian Weddings, and I am looking forward to be a part of all that, when my dearest sibling ties the knot.”
For a change, I am in a conversation with a young woman who has decorated dreams of her sibling’s D-day on her eye lids, instead of focusing all of that attention on what she wants on
her special day. She innocently murmurs, “I have not put in much thought to my wedding because I still have a long ladder to climb on, to embrace success in my career. I am really looking forward to the celebrations when my sibling decides to tie the knot. An amazing amount of time will go into the planning, couture selection and more for their wedding, because the D-day is really important to me.”
You have seen her in bold and unconventional avatars so far, and she confabs about her love for ‘fearless experiments in makeup’, but she is a pristine treat to the eyes as she allows the reds and ivories of the colour palette complement her natural complexion and charisma at WA’s shoot premises. In our ‘peppered with giggles’ conversation, she talks about the wedding related questions showered on her by the media and says, “I might not have given much thought to my wedding plans, but I often think about the kind of man I will marry. I want to spend my life with someone who is a well-informed, socially and politically aware person, who has developed an in-depth understanding of the world affairs and can be flaunted for his brains. Strength of mind and humour is also an important factor.”
Her words help me determine that the current ‘glam queen’ of Bollywood would pick brains over beauty any day. But you cannot be around Urvashi and not think of ‘beauty’. She has that glamorous vibe and is effortlessly beautiful, as she smiles through our conversation. The modest actor credits her hometown for her appearance and cascades on the benefits of being from the hills. “I am from Uttarakhand, the nature and the natural water of the hills, deserve all the credit for my skin. Growing up in the hills, is one of the reasons why I am a lover of peace and love to travel to the most serene places to absorb nature’s beauty.”
We immediately indulge in a deep conversation about being the ‘girls from the hills’ and begin sharing the experiences of growing up amidst the silence of the mountains, when her P.R. quickly brings us back to the present. She laughs and murmurs, “I would love to know more about you. If we had more time, I would be talking more about you than me.” Through our
exchange, I find out about her firm grip of the ground, although it is now her time to fly. Simplicity is one of her most striking features and can be easily gathered from her likes and dislikes.
“For a perfect moment of romance, I would prefer escaping to a very peaceful and serene place,far from the prying eyes. My wanderlust heart would choose scenic beauty, as the backdrop of a romantic date any day.” The mention of travel rekindles the memories of her shoot for ‘Sanam Re’. “I got to be a part of such a passionate love story and had an amazing time experiencing the journey of true love in some of the most exotic locations of India and
abroad like Kalpa, Ladakh, Calgary and Alberta. The temperature had hit -3° when we were shooting for ‘Hua hai aaj pehli baar’ and a few scenes demanded shooting in minimal clothes. The challenges of the shoot were many, but at the end of the day, we came back with wonderful memories.” She recently made a lot of news for all the right reasons with the release of ‘Great Grand Masti’. Her performance has been the most appreciated, even though she was sharing the screen with the finest names of Bollywood. “It was one of the most challenging roles I have done so far. My character was an amalgamation of vulnerability
and innocence. The opportunity to play a supernatural role also made me experiment my acting skills with scenes like playing with fireballs.” Strong and determined about the road she has taken, Urvashi shares, “I was offered a role in ‘Ishaqzaade’ when I was 16, but I dropped the same because I had to participate in the Miss Universe India contest. I would love to play the protagonist of a period film or a historical epic like ‘Mughal-e-azam’, or ‘JodhaAkbar’ in the future. I am going through a lot of scripts right now and I am being really choosy about the roles. When it’s time to announce my next project, I would make sure, my role is of utmost importance and I am a part of a great script.”
Quickies:
Your Acting Idol – Meryl Streep
The song on your mind – “Hua hai aaj pehli baar… ”
Favourite cuisine – Italian
People you want to work with – Hirani, Aditya Chopra and
Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Dream Date – Zyan Malik
Travel Bag Musts’ – My orange diary, cell-phone, perfume.
Favourite Designers – Marchesa, Chanel, Naeem Khan,
Zuhair Murad and Ralph & Russo.
Photographer: Hitesh Kaneria
Makeup Artist, Hairstylist: Jaywant Thakre and Shaida Sheikh
Outfits: Archana Kochhar
Jewellery: Mahesh Notandass
