Sanya Malhotra talks movies, matcha, social media and Mani Ratnam!

Actress, dancer and now proud matcha evangelist and entrepreneur — Sanya Malhotra is having a year. From grooving in a Mani Ratnam film to launching her own ceremonial-grade matcha brand, she’s a whirlwind of energy with a full year of exciting releases ahead. We caught up with the ever-charming star to talk about everything from scripts and skincare to curls, confidence and what’s brewing next in this fun interview.

Let’s start with something that’s been on everyone’s mind — your cameo in Thug Life! That song Jinguchaa had you dancing your heart out. What was it like being on Mani Ratnam’s set?

I am a huge Mani Ratnam fan. When I got this opportunity, I was kind of shocked. But also, I was too excited to be on the set with him. It was surreal to be on his set and it’s such a beautifully choreographed song. He is so calm and peaceful. For a set that chaotic, he was always really calm. On the last day of the shoot, he told me, “You are so energetic, Sanya. Keep it up.” I was so happy getting that compliment from him.

Keeping in line with your career in cinema, you’ve always picked interesting scripts. What’s your process for choosing a role?

I just know when I am reading it. When I read a script, I know I want to be a part of it immediately. If I am thinking about it too much, then I know it’s not for me. Recently, I was reading a script and, while reading, two pages in, I was like, yes, this is it… this is my script. That’s when I realised if I can imagine myself in a character, then I immediately say yes to it. If I am sitting and pondering over it, then I know it’s not for me. For me, as an actor, it’s crucial to empathise with the character I am going to play.

Switching gears — let’s talk health. You’re always glowing! What’s your secret to staying fit and fabulous?

I love working. I love being active. That is it. I eat whatever I want to eat. I don’t restrict myself. I just love some sort of activity in a day. Like today, I didn’t feel like working out but I did a quick 30-minute workout. I’ll go play squash. I’ll go play tennis. I’ll go for a walk. I’m always active. I think that helps me stay fit. That said, I’m not in shape right now and, to be honest, I don’t care about the ‘shape’ — that keeps changing anyway. For us women, during our monthly cycles we feel bloated and I think right now I’m completely out of shape and I’m totally fine with it.

And what about that amazing skin? Is there a secret skincare regimen?

I think my skin really likes it when I keep it simple. Like if I do those fancy skincare routines, my skin is like, “Oh my God, can’t handle it!” So, I keep it very simple. I use sunscreen in the morning and a night cream in the evening. That’s it. If I put on too much, then, you know, my skin breaks out.

We also have to talk about your curls — they have a fanbase of their own, especially down South. What’s your haircare routine like?

Now, my skincare might be so simple. But my haircare is just so hectic. It has a routine. I spend so much time on my hair. I wash and condition my hair — not every day, but every two days because I work out a lot — to remove the gunk and sweat. I don’t use conditioner on the roots, just on the ends of the hair so that the ends are nice and conditioned. Then I style it. I have a curl brush. If I don’t have that and I’m being lazy, then I only use a curl cream. I have really thin, fine curls. So, I use a nice and light curl conditioner. I put that on my hair, I scrunch it and then I seal it with a hard hold gel. Either that or a mousse. Depends on the weather.

Now to what we’re really curious about — your obsession with matcha. How did that healthy habit begin?

I think I got into matcha a couple of years ago. I love coffee and I also love the ritual of making something in the morning, but I quickly realised that I used to feel quite anxious after having coffee and, with my busy schedule, coffee was really not doing anything good for my body. But I really enjoyed that whole ritual of making a cup of something in the morning. So, I decided to switch to matcha and I absolutely fell in love with it. I started experimenting with recipes, I used to call friends home to make them try my matcha and I converted a lot of people into proud matcha drinkers. I also realised that it’s not making me anxious. I read a lot about it and got to know that it has L-theanine, which no other caffeinated product has — which basically is a good sustained energy source and it doesn’t make you feel jittery or anxious. It relaxes your body, which I thought was really helpful.

So what made you decide to launch your own brand?

I was trying to find a good matcha brand in India. There are many brands that offer culinary-grade or a normal-grade, but none of the brands offer ceremonial-grade matcha. No Indian brand offers ceremonial blends. So, I thought, why not start something of my own, you know? Matcha is really picking up, people are realising how good it is for the body — and that’s how Bree Matcha came into being.

Your fans love your hilarious, relatable social media. Is that all you? Or do you have a secret team pulling the strings?

I wish I had a team. I have taken some time off social media. I am not posting, because I am also focusing on the brand right now. I am constantly thinking about the content I want to shoot for the brand. So, my focus has completely shifted. I want to take some time off from consuming other content. But I love social media and I handle my own social media. I love making content and it’s all very much me.

You’re so refreshingly goofy online. Was there a moment when you just decided: I’m going to be myself, no matter what?

I got comfortable and confident being myself in public slowly. Also, as an actor, I think that change happened three years ago when I told myself, “I don’t care, I am going to post whatever I want to post.” Because it’s also an extension of me. Of course, it’s curated in a way — I don’t post my bad days online. But if I am posting, then I want to entertain people and myself.

Finally, before we let you go — what exciting projects should we be looking out for this year?

So, in September, there’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. After that, I have Toaster with Rajkummar Rao. The teaser is already out. It will release on Netflix. Then I have this film with Bobby Deol, which Anurag Kashyap directed — that will also release this year. I have quite a lot of releases this year and I’m quite excited about them!

QUICK FOUR WITH SANYA

If you think you could come from another planet, which planet do you think that would be and why?

I don’t know. Another planet? Why would I come to Earth from another planet? I would stay there! (laughs)

Which vegetable or fruit do you resemble and why?

I think potatoes. Because I love potatoes and you can pair potatoes with anything. They’re quite versatile. Just like me. (laughs)

What is the one cringe thing that you might not ever publicly admit to but you secretly like to do?

I love cringe, honestly. Even the content that sometimes I post online is cringe. So, I don’t mind being cringy or consuming cringe. (laughs)

And finally; if you weren’t an actor, if you weren’t an entrepreneur; what do you think you’d be doing?

Dancing. Teaching dance and pursuing it professionally.

Thug Life is now streaming on Netflix.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

X: @elromal