My process is—I have no process,” says Sonakshi Sinha with a laugh, as she steps into the role of a super sleuth in the upcoming supernatural thriller Nikita Roy. “It was a very interesting premise,” she says, her eyes lighting up with childlike nostalgia. “You know, when we were kids, we used to read Nancy Drew books. She’d solve all these mysteries—and this script took me right back to that. I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s pretty cool. I’d love to do that.”
Directed by her brother Kussh Sinha, Nikita Roy might look like a family affair on the surface, but Sonakshi is quick to clarify that her decision to join the project came from a place of artistic curiosity, not familial obligation. “It could’ve been made by anyone, not necessarily my family. That’s not a reason I would say yes to a film,” she says, as candid as ever. “I told Kussh, ‘Show me the script.’ I read it and I liked it. It was a film that had come to me a long time back, but you know how sometimes people just disappear? And then it circled back.” And as for supernatural elements like those in Nikita Roy, where does she stand? “I’m on the fence. Sometimes I do believe in it, sometimes I don’t,” she says.
Fifteen years since her debut in Dabangg, Sonakshi stands as one of the few actresses in Hindi cinema who consistently seek out roles anchored in agency and complexity. That intentionality is central to how she approaches her craft. “I don’t want to do something where I don’t feel important, you know, as a character,” she says firmly. “I don’t think I want to compromise anymore—ever, actually—with the characters that I play.” Her shift toward powerful portrayals didn’t happen overnight. “Power, for me, is more about what I’m doing on screen—what my agency is as a character,” she explains.
“That idea took shape in the middle years of my career, and it’s only grown stronger since. Today, I’m proud to say I play very, very strong characters.” Her recent, lauded performances in Dahaad and Heeramandi have only cemented that evolution. For Sonakshi, these aren’t just personal milestones—they signal a larger shift in the industry. “It tells us that women are standing up, raising their voices, finally stepping out of the shadows and just—killing it,” she says. “Even as actors, we’re seeing better characters being written for women. Films are being headlined by women, which is something I love—and something I’ve been doing for years.”
Currently, like most fans, she’s eagerly awaiting the second season of Heeramandi, which was recently greenlit. “I’m just as curious!” she says. “But there’s time. Sir (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) is busy with his other film, Love and War.”
In a world that often expects women to power through regardless, Sonakshi speaks up for boundaries, especially when it comes to work hours. Standing in agreement with Deepika Padukone’s call for an eight-hour workday, she makes a pointed observation: “A lot of male actors have it in their contracts that they won’t shoot for more than eight hours. I’ve worked with people like that. And if it’s okay for Paul, it should be okay for Pauline too, right?” she says.
For Sonakshi, success hasn’t dulled her resolve to make fearless choices—even when the outcome is uncertain. “Some of the films didn’t do well at all. But that’s part and parcel of life. That doesn’t mean I stop playing strong characters,” she shrugs. “I’ll continue to do what gives me joy and keeps me invested. That’s the only way to go.”