Sara Arjun on ‘Dhurandhar’, personal style, and why “pressure is privilege”

At the launch of Louis Vuitton’s resort collection, Sara Arjun carried the ease of someone who has already spent years in front of the camera, and is now entering an entirely new chapter. Dressed in a monogrammed Louis Vuitton tee paired with a crisp white skirt, the Dhurandhar actor spoke candidly to Harper's Bazaar India about trusting timing, embracing pressure, and building a career without following any fixed blueprint.

Fresh off back-to-back releases and with Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar already being described as a defining moment in her career, Arjun reflects on conviction, creative instincts, and the kind of collaborations she wants to take up in the future. From discussing unconventional career paths to her love for sarees, the conversation moved between cinema, fashion, and the realities of growing up in the spotlight.

Harper's Bazaar: You're here for the launch of Louis Vuitton's resort collection. What stood out the most for you in this collection? 

Sara Arjun: I think this t-shirt, because it's not just the colour or the monogram, but to balance it out with a really nice white chic skirt. This outfit stood out a lot to me, so I knew I had to be in it. 

HB: There is this interesting similarity between you and the artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton. He didn't go to fashion school, you didn't go to acting school. What about these daring moves makes sense for you? 

SA: I don't think we chose these daring moves. It's just about timing in life. You just have to trust it. There's no blueprint for your approach to your career, and so it's just that everybody has such a unique journey. For me, I started off really young. I know that he also became a creative director at a very young age. I think what an institution does is that it kind of gives you a structured learning experience, but even with me, I've had that through life. I've grown up on the set. It has a beautiful structure in itself, and I didn't go to an institution. But I live in an institution. My father started theatre when he was 16. He's moved across the country doing theatre, and his guru was Habib Tanvir, sahib. He has also spent a lot of time with Guru Venu ji, so all of those things have been passed down. And whenever I get a chance, I do a lot of these workshops... So, I think more than the approach you take, it's the willingness that counts. That's the most important thing. 

HB: Your audience has literally watched you grow up from a child actor to now this main movie star. Does the familiarity with the whole industry feel empowering, or do you feel it has its own disadvantages and pressure? 

SA: Even though I've done a lot of work on camera as a child, I've never felt like I've grown up in front of the audiences. I've been very guarded that way, so I'm very unfazed by that. But do I take certain amounts of pressure out of it? I do, but I feel like that's also a privilege. So many of us have always said that pressure is a privilege, and now that I feel that, I'm happy that I get to be in a position where I feel a certain amount of pressure is in itself a blessing. So I do take some pressure, which I like. 

HB: Luxury today is deeply tied to celebrity culture. As someone entering this new phase of her career, how carefully do you think about the brands that you associate with? 

SA: Integrity has been a very crucial part of my upbringing, be it any collaboration. Be it a brand or whatever I do, I would like to bring that with me and collaborate with brands that feel like an extension of my personality, and also something that I find relatable. I feel conviction is one thing that you can never let go of on screen, off screen, and while making any decisions in life. You have to keep conviction within. I know I'm really young to commit to such a big statement, but I will always try to collaborate only with brands that feel like an extension of me. 

HB: While playing Yalina in Dhurandhar, what was that moment that you felt that this role was going to change your career? 

SA: I'm going to say conviction again. It's so funny, but the conviction in Aditya Dhar sir's eyes, the writing, the scale, and just when we saw the script, it was surreal! I just said this to somebody 'What's on page is on stage', and what was on page was so strong that it was a factor that made me realise that this could be a life-changing role, which I think it was. 

HB: Everybody talks about Aditya Dhar's detailing. Is the script really that detailed? 

SA: Yeah! 

HB: If you could steal one celebrity's wardrobe for a day, who would it be and why? 

SA: Rekha ji. Her saree collection! I would love to have that. 

HB: When it comes to fashion, do you love your sarees as much as you love your skirts? 

SA: Yeah, I do. I think I love my sarees a little more right now. 

HB: If you were not acting, what would you be doing? 

SA: I can't think of anything. I have never had a plan B in my life. I've never even thought of something like that. 

HB: You've had two back-to-back releases. When it comes to unwinding and travel, what excites you the most?

SA: I have the best group of friends! We all grew up together, as I was from a boarding school. Now they're scattered all over the world, all over the country, and as soon as I think of travel, I just think of my friends. I've had a lot of trips with my friends, and it's just a different feeling altogether. So even between these releases, I do take a few trips with them, and it's just the best!

Lead image: Getty

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