New Delhi: The juxtaposition of Sara Ali Khan's humorous, goofy persona off-screen with the typical demure image expected of female stars in the industry often throws people off, she acknowledges. Despite her awareness of this contrast, Sara embraces her vivacious nature, recognizing that some may struggle to take her seriously due to her "loud and bindaas" demeanor.
Even before her debut in Kedarnath in 2018, Sara had already crafted a public image as a confident, intelligent young woman, evident from her appearance on Koffee with Karan where she candidly discussed her family background and personal transformation.
Fast forward six years, her humorous side has become more prominent, evident in her quirky jokes during project promotions, Instagram reels, and additional appearances on Koffee with Karan.
However, this facet of her personality comes with a drawback, as Sara acknowledges. "Because I am funny, loud, I can be bindaas, people can think that is all there is to me," she explains in an interview with Indianexpress.com. "That is also me. If I have two more cups of coffee I will be cracking NG (adult) jokes with you right now. But that doesn’t mean that this (graceful) is not me, that a bit of gravitas isn’t part of my personality."
Sara challenges the notion of being confined to one stereotype, questioning why she can't embody both humor and self-respect. When confronted with the tension between her star image and her authentic personality, Sara asserts that as long as people allow her to be herself, there's no conflict. "Because I am silly, I am funny, that is who I am– but that is not all that I am," she affirms. "I run the risk of sometimes trivializing my own self, I run the risk of people not taking me seriously."
This tension became apparent when the promo for her latest film 'Ae Watan Mere Watan' was released. Sara sensed a "hint of surprise" among viewers, emphasizing her desire for audiences to recognize her versatility beyond her comedic persona. "I don’t want people to think just because I am funny I am not emotional sensitive or even a good actor, because that isn’t true," she asserts.
'Ae Watan Mere Watan' recounts the story of freedom fighter Usha Mehta, who courageously established an underground radio station to propagate unity during the Quit India movement. The film released on Prime Video on March 21 and holds personal significance for Sara as she navigates the complexities of her multifaceted identity in the industry.