I went looking for a particular line that I couldn’t quote from memory, though so distinctly remember Anushka Sharma saying it in one of her interviews to a leading lifestyle magazine five years ago, “A male newcomer and female newcomer will get paid different money. You're a newcomer... no one knows who you are, man or woman doesn't matter. It's just assumed that men need more money. I think people think that men need to run a family and women are looked after. I'm not saying this out of greed — I'm just saying value me. At the end of the day, you want respect. And when you pay me less money, you're telling me I'm not as valuable.”

Anushka: The Entrepreneur

While one's worth is immeasurable in terms of money, as working professionals from various industries, we all seem to know this problem all too well. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are sure to have heard about the now much acclaimed web-series, Paatal Lok, an incredible dive into the India we try not to know. This India, tucked away behind our conscience, a reflection of us all, of greed, fame, fortune and broken dreams that follow us as shadows of our past while we make peace with the ghost of our future named desire, trying to prove ourselves all over again.

This series is produced by Clean Slate Films, a production company launched by Anushka Sharma and her brother, when she was 25. A few days ago I saw a picture of a Zoom chat of the entire crew of the Paatal Lok along with a beaming Anushka Sharma, co-producers, writers and the rest.

Image source: Amazon Prime

With a career spanning over a decade now, close to 20 movies and several awards under her belt, Sharma is still not your typical leading lady; “unafraid”, is what an article had once called her, and that’s exactly what she seems.

Anushka: The Actor

I digress. As an enterprising woman, it’s important to note, that Anushka Sharma has not only achieved respect and admiration in her primary industry, but has also proven to be a great entrepreneur, from launching a production company at the age of 25, a clothing brand called “Nush”, investments into start-ups, and several causes including gender equality and animal rights, among many more.

For anyone who watched the movie NH10, you would know that not only was it a challenging career choice, but a difficult investment decision as well. With a subject that talks about disrupting the status quo, set in a geographical location that we’d rather not know, NH10 was a bold choice. Having said that, not only did Sharma produce this hard-hitting movie, but also played the lead role in it. That’s quite telling of a young actor who was thought better suited to be dancing around trees.

Anushka: You & Me

What also interests me is how forthcoming she is while displaying her emotions on social media, either through a post, pictures with her pets or sharing a humorous moment with us through a joke on her spouse (the captain of the Indian Cricket Team and an avid investor himself). She is a star, yet relatable in every way.

But what I am in awe of, is how she has looked at investments. While I am sure she has secure financial investments under her belt, I love the risk that she has also taken in the form of investing in content production, her own brand NUSH and investing in start-ups as well (she recently announced an investment in an insurance-tech company).

Image source: Clean Slate Films

Image source: www.nush.in

As an audience, we tend to look at the fame, stardom and all else that glitters in its facade. But let’s take a moment to look at the woman behind all this. Forbes Asia 30 under 30, Anushka Sharma is one who is unafraid to make tough choices, one that doesn't follow the norm, yet, carefully hedges her investments with tact. It is also interesting to note that she hasn’t starred in a movie for over 2 years now - an incredible mistake, some would say.

With no heavy PR machinery to back her up, far too few controversies but her mind and a heart up her sleeve, Anushka Sharma is all of us. Strong, independent, inspiring. A story of how making the right choice doesn’t necessarily mean making a popular one. I look forward to seeing how she drives her investments, financial independence and her own story called life, forward.

This article is by Dipika Jaikishan, CIO, Basis

#AnushkaSharma, #PaatalLok, #womenentrepreneur, #investments, #inspiration