There is a brisk wintry bite to the morning air in Mussoorie, but Tara Sutaria has eyes for little else. The object of her undivided attention? The gleaming amber of a jar of caramelised stick jaw candy. Bundling her hands into a shearling coat against the frosty rays of the winter sun, she is not the It-girl anymore in an industry where caustic unattainability is wielded as necessary battle camouflage.
Few debutantes have been able to carve the impact that she has over the course of five years, but then again, Sutaria is not just another debutante. If the wheel of fortune appears to spin her way ever so often, it is with good reason. With a background in music and professional training in classical ballet cementing her multi-hyphenate status, the bombshell looks serve as a value-add rather than the entire sales pitch. As she takes a moment to relish the crunch of the crisp grass blades of Mussoorie—incidentally where her dream debut in Student of the Year 2 (2019) first began under the auspices of Karan Johar—life appears to have uncannily come full circle.
Now six movies old, Sutaria’s time in the industry has yielded an unflinching analysis of what she needs to seek from the scripts that she takes on in the future. “After my last release, Apurva, I have realised that there needs to be some amount of power in the roles that I am taking on—even if it is a comedic role, it has to offer something substantial.” Her words come during an industry-wide reckoning ushered by female actresses seeking more gravitas than superficial eye candy. “The landscape has changed in cinema today, and I am grateful that we finally have a safe space to have conversations about issues such as pay parity. There used to be a certain taboo associated when actresses used to speak out against certain things, but it has been driven down by the success of female-driven films in the commercial space. There is, of course, a long way to go, but I am excited to be around at a time when this conversation is happening,” she smiles.
It is perhaps this eye that she has trained on the big picture that shields her from experiencing any anxiety over hitting a career milestone at an arbitrary point in time. “In this industry, it can often devolve into a conversation of contest—especially with women. There used to be a misguided notion peddled that you have to be in a certain position to be considered successful. The pressure of clamouring for the number one spot adds undue pressure and, ultimately, makes us all feel caged. In reality, I could feel as successful as a top heroine just sitting in my home, surrounded by my loved ones and enjoying the view. Having this peace in my mind and my heart of a life well-built…to me, that is success,” she muses.
Hers is a hard-earned wisdom, one that is coupled with consciously showing kindness towards herself on tough days. After the shoot of Apurva took a toll on her body and mental health, she recalls vowing to take better care of herself. “Solitude really works for me. I believe that there is nothing that can’t be solved with some quiet time and an honest conversation with yourself about what is bothering you. Sometimes, if nobody is around, you can also put your arms around yourself and give yourself a fortifying hug—it might sound trivial, but it really helps,” she shares.
It is with this fortitude in mind that Sutaria has recalibrated what is important to her—and at the moment, it is getting back to the family lunch table groaning under the weight of a traditional Parsi spread. So, does she have any homemade staples and comfort foods that she requests from her mother? “In our home, we have no gender roles. Everybody lends a hand in the cleaning and the cooking,” she is quick to correct the assumption. The latter, however, has increasingly grown her domain as a newfound passion for cooking during the pandemic is leading her to shoo everybody else out of the kitchen. As she waxes enthusiastically about the tablescape she has planned, it is clear that the It-girl has taken a backseat and allowed the 28-year-old to take over the levers. For now, that is all that Sutaria intends to be.
ELLE India Editor: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, Photographer: Taras Taraporvala, Videographer: Kris Blackk, Kevin Karl, Jr. Fashion Editor: Shaeroy Chinoy (styling), Asst. Art Director: Sanjana Suvarna, Cover design: Sakshi Badani, Words: Hasina Jeelani, Hair: Hiral Bhatia (Entourage Talents), Makeup: Shraddha Inder Mehta, Bookings Editor: Aliza Fatmaa, Assisted by: Komal Shetty, Nirali Patel (styling); Mitali Lakhotia (bookings), Production: Cutloose Productions, Artist’s Reputation Management: Spice Social
