Bhumika Chawla is one of those rare actresses who take a long break by choice and do not mind paying a heavy price for it. Having delivered towering performances in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films, she is conscious of being one of the most accomplished actors even today. While deliberately staying away from the rat race going on amongst big names during her comeback, the Yuvakudu fame is happy working for universal welfare in her own ways. She plans to launch her own YouTube channel shortly.
Bhumika Chawla made her mark in B-Town with her debut in Tere Naam. The film was nominated for 24 awards and won seven. Down south, the movie Khushi got her Filmfare best actress award. She bagged the Nandi Award for Best Actress for Missamma. She is also the recipient of a SIIMA award!
The Pioneer’s SHIKHA DUGGAL caught up with her recently to know what she is up to now.
Hated going to school…
I was naughty during my childhood. I hated going to school. My school was never a permanent institution because my dad was in the army; so, there were continual postings. We had lot of fun in Kolkata (Calcutta) during one of those postings! They used to host a lot of dance parties in the army mess. When I reached my Intermediate level, I started indulging in writing poetry as well. I learnt how to ride a bike too! Despite posting after posting, all of us friends used to stay in touch with one another through letters in those days. I also remember vividly there used to be postcards. But I have this quick habit of moving on too! Granted that it was always sad to leave any of the quarters for us.
Dad’s fauji trunk…
When I went back home recently, I opened my dad’s fauji trunk. It was after decades that I took out time to read each and every postcard. Five long days and I completed reading all the letters that my friends had exchanged with me. There were more than 300 letters, and I am not exaggerating. I am still in touch with most of my friends from school. One of my closest friend is living in Ohio right now. I have a friend in Switzerland then I have a friend in Pathankot. I have another close friend from school days in Australia.
Fauji attitude…
Most of the times I have travelled is with my father. I have started taking solo trips now. Initially I was in a dilemma whether I would be able to travel alone with my son and whether I would be able to manage everything. But I am glad I did because it turned out to be a wholesome experience for me. I don’t always prefer a Michelin star hotel, Air bnb’s also work for me. I can do both. It’s my fauji attitude!
No discrimination at my home…
I was the one in the family who used to change the defective bulbs and buy groceries. At a very young age I even learnt how to cook properly. There was no discrimination at my home! My dad is now retired. He is settled, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. My brothers are in fact in the army now. My dad’s knowledge is very vast; so, you can’t mess with him when it comes to IQ.
Spiritual mom, spiritual me…
When I had my child my sleeping patterns changed. Basically, everything was changing; so, the one person that I could look up to was only my mother when I was pregnant. When I was growing up, she was very strict though! But she always ensured to inculcate good sanskars in me. You will never find my mother making fun of anybody outside. So, the same things I would love to have in my kid too. Mom is very spiritual, so am I. One fine day, my son was throwing tantrums when I was at my mother’s place, and I was about to lose my temper on him. That’s when my mother intervened and taught me how to be patient with my child. Also, something that is very different about my mother is that she is very compassionate towards animals.
Never had a native place…
As a fauji’s daughter, I never had a ‘native’ place, though I was born — just born — in Delhi but grew up in so many other cities across the country. My birthplace doesn’t make a difference in my life at all! When it comes to my higher education, I saw how the country was so fascinated with ICSE schools. But I studied in the Army Public School at Dhaula Kuan, Delhi. Everybody knows we have so many celeb alumni from the same school. There were almost 10,000 kids studying in the same school and most of them have gone abroad or are doing extremely well for themselves even in our country. Then I moved to a convent school too. I know of Kendriya Vidyalayas too. It could be a basic school for others, but the board doesn’t matter to me!
Wellness journey with husband…
I met my husband and coincidentally that was during my tryst with yoga. From that time both of us have invested in wellness and the whole journey of my life has drastically changed and a little bit of his has influenced me too. Another pleasant coincidence was that it was Salman’s birthday that evening, and we exchanged numbers and that’s how he said to get in touch with each other. I try maintaining the same routine as him, but it’s sometimes way too difficult. He is more disciplined.
Son and me…
My son and I go swimming together. When I am cooking at home, he is there to help me out. He peels vegetables for me, he stirs, he knows how to add masalas in the sabji. Then we do bake together. I bring special books on special concepts for him. For example, I have a book on bullying so that he knows the concept of bullying which is not good. And then I remember we were at a toy store when my son came up to me and said: ‘I don’t want pink colour, because it’s girlish’. I took offence! I made him understand the concept of gender sensitivity in a very simple manner. Neither am I the kind of mother who will easily give in to a child’s demands. I am very well aware that yes I have resources I have the money, I can give in the fancy stuff, but I never do it on his demand. Nowadays my son has hopped on to a new trend where he keeps persuading me to open my own YouTube channel like every other celeb mummy has. My little one feels the need because everybody is approaching for a picture with me meaning I have massive fan following; so, I should capitalise on YouTube now. So, another good news for my fans is that I’ll be making a YouTube channel very soon.
Beauty secret…
The harder you work, the better you get from this industry. I have worked so much in the south industry. And I have been asked several times: ‘How do you maintain yourself? How come you look so young?’ And, I always keep giving the same answer that you have to eat and sleep properly. When you see that I am tired of sleeping, there will be an adrenaline rush that goes into me to just get up and start hustling. Now, that’s where I continue my position in showbiz. You see, it’s all interconnected?
I never socialised after film schedules…
When you see me on the sets, you will find me very quiet because I am very focused. I never socialise after the film schedules are over! It was nice to have Mom on the sets initially when I had just started in Bollywood or Tollywood. God has been kind because most of the movies that I did in regional cinema did so well commercially. Even producers made so much money. Now with so much experience, I would love to try comedy because people who are really close to me know how funny I am. Then I have seen such times also in my career when I have signed few of the big banner films, but those films never came on floor. But I always remember that my first film was in Telugu so the Telugu film industry will always be close to my heart. I have never had stress working on the sets of Ramoji Film City.
When I was about to stop
working in movies…
I have never told this publicly but in 2010 I was about to stop working in the film industry for quite a long time! And I did. For reasons best known to me. The media did not know that I was going through emotional turmoil. Everyday I turned down big-banner films and to some extent I was hurting a few directors’ sentiments too. However, all this while they did not know that I was going through something very massive in my life. And then when I was making my comeback, I was not getting any lucrative offers, not even commercial ones. So, I am an example of an established actress who still had to struggle again because the best offers will not be waiting outside your door. It was after 2012 that I decided to never quit the film industry!
Cinema and the change…
The cinema has totally changed from the time I started working and that’s the 2000s. But there is something about me that I am not the right person to give you deeper insights into it, because I hardly step out of my safe haven. I know about a few of the youngsters who are trying to get into the entertainment business. But this online auditions are becoming too much for them. Thank God, I am not a part of it because ‘mujhse nahi hoga yeh sab’. There are millions of people who want to make it big here. The ‘difficulty’ factor still persists. I don’t have to intentionally concoct a story of a struggler until and unless I have one. Even today, I don’t know how to approach a director or a production house. Nowadays actors are handled by agencies, back then there were no such protocols. We were handled by a personal manager. Funnily, I am mostly in my world. Familiarity beats challenges! Maintain space and dignity with other stars. That’s my ‘funda’ of sustaining in this industry.
I am like the female Aamir Khan of the industry…
We have ruthlessly let social media invade our privacy and we are at fault. It has to be a conscious effort every time to go off. Relationships are now in a state of emotional drought and so are our minds. Unhealthy and not stimulated enough by books, nature and great conversations. I very well understand that for a celebrity it is very important to be “seen” these days. I am like the female Aamir Khan of the industry, attend awards once in a while. Intentionally getting clicked by the paparazzi is not my thing. I prefer candid stills. I love doing promotional activities, I love doing these candid interviews but do not force me to be seen. Hanging out there, getting a hair done somewhere, going to the clinic I don’t want my privacy to be invaded so much by the paparazzi culture. Each to its own but I find that way too tacky. We have become slaves to mobiles. People just don’t know when to stop. I find having notifications on is the worst you can do and as you open the mobile or tab, there is this monstrous barrage of notifications. I have seen families sitting together at tables in restaurants with phones in hand and I find that ridiculous. The SMS days were good, these days a message is sent in 10-15 messages. I keep my phone silent all the time. Rarely, is it audible. I know a few people who are not on social media and my respect for them is far higher than those who have millions of followers. The ones who don’t have these social media accounts are one in a billion and are the ones who are living life truly.
