Swara Bhaskar talks about love, life and her relationship!

Whether it’s Ranjhanaa or Nil Battey Sannata, Swara Bhaskar’s performances have always been applauded. Now, she has attempted something absolutely different — It’s Not That Simple — a web series with an unusual, but urban take on marriages, relationships and extra-marital affairs! 

Swara is herself in a happy and settled space with boyfriend Himanshu Sharma. In this interview, the actress gets candid about her relationship with her boyfriend, her marriage plans and why there will always be a fun debate between her and Himanshu. Excerpts:

What made you jump on board a web series?

I think the audience is shifting to digital content, if one goes by the kind of stuff that’s working on the Internet. As actors, we don’t think that we will act differently for films or TV or a web series. My acting will remain the same. It’s Not That Simple is young, fresh and again something I haven’t done ever before. It’s a relationship drama in a space I have never attempted. It’s heavy on the anglicised side of it. When they pitched it to me, it was an instinctive yes right away.

But it’s a completely different medium...

Yes, it’s more intimate — something you’d watch with your headphones on. It’s not like you are walking into a cinema hall with 200 other people to watch the film. It was interesting to explore it. Other than that, the show is a great take on relationships, marriage and on modern, urban life. It was great fun and I also had my first on screen kiss...

Was the first screen kiss awkward?

I didn’t know whether I was excited or nervous about it. I felt very hassled about it! (Smiles). When you are not in love with someone, it’s just about putting your mouth on someone else’s mouth. But we have do it because a good actor can do anything between action and cut. But then again, we also have to be careful that there’s a life before action and after cut. So, we need to be careful about everything because it’s going to have an effect on your personal life for sure.

Most actresses who are in a relationship refuse to liplock on screen... 

I’m lucky because Himanshu is from the industry and he’s a writer himself. Though he’s never written a make-out scene! But he is someone who theoretically understands how scripts are written. You can’t create a show about extra marital affairs and not show the affair! Temperamentally, he’s a very understanding, patient and rational person. Had Himanshu not been a writer, he would still have had the same reaction that he did. The only thing he actually told me was to be careful what I do it for. The act of intimate scenes or taking your clothes off can mean one thing in a Martin Scorcese film and it will turn out to be a legendary scene. But the same scene, in the hands of a different director can seem B-grade. That is the biggest challenge for sure. But I looked at Danish and the team, I trusted them and I think I was completely right in my judgment.

Do you believe in the institution of marriage vs a live-in relationship?

I have been in a live-in relationship, but I haven’t been married. The thing with a live-in is that you are basically married, except for the paperwork. The routine is exactly like that of a married couple. I mean what is marriage than two people sharing a home or life? When I was living-in, both our families knew and we were close to each other’s family. It was not any different from a marriage. Also, urban living in modern India is slowly changing the institutions, the values. But I believe in marriage because I believe in family. My strongest support and the reason why I am still rational and not flipping insane is because of my family. I want to be married and have a family.

When is that likely to happen?

I haven’t thought about it. Himanshu and I have discussed marriage, but we both still don’t know when. I just know that I want my marriage to be a huge party, like a massive affair. I want to have lots of days, lots of functions and lots of gaana-bajaana. I want to be drunk for the entirety of it. When I told my mother, she was shocked. She said, ‘Chhi beta, who talks like this? How shameful.’ But I don’t care, I will be drunk from the first day to the last day. (Bursts out laughing) I have a lot of friends abroad and I want them to come for my shaadi. I have all these plans, but there’s no timeline so sometimes, I worry the person should be the same. We joke about this too and we’re very different temperamentally..

Like what?

He wants to get married in court without any taam jhaam. And I’m like, I’m getting married. Swara Bhaskar is retiring from the playing field and there won’t be any taam jhaam? (Laughs) It has to be a party and how! I need to go out with a bang.

How did you meet Himanshu?

On the sets of Tanu Weds Manu. Then there was Raanjhanaa and Tanu Weds Manu Returns too. I was in a state of love with the character during Raanjhanaa. I had always admired him but I felt he was special during that film. We became friends during Raanjhanaa and we got together at the end of Tanu Weds Manu Returns.

But who popped the question?

He feels that I did and I feel he did. This is a huge debate between him and me. (Laughs) He started flirting with me and I was responding. But he claimed that I made the first move. I have also pictured that that we will end up together and this debate will go till we have our grandchildren. Then we would be telling them, ‘Beta, nana or dada had proposed me first. And he will just say the opposite.’ (Laughs) But it’s him, he started it!