Exclusive: Alaya F On Signing ‘U-Turn,’ Summer Skincare, Wanting To Working With Varun Dhawan And More
The next Bollywood star!
Actress Alaya F is one of the most promising young stars that Bollywood has welcomed with open arms. With an impeccable screen presence, this member of Hindi cinema’s youngest troop is just a few films old, but has beautifully managed to carve a safe spot for herself. In conversation with me, Alaya F speaks about her upcoming supernatural thriller U-Turn, her dream director, fashion choices and summer skincare regime. Waiting for what? Just dive into the answers right here.
Q: Tell us something about your upcoming project U-Turn. What attracted you the most about it?
Alaya F: Freddy happened after U-turn for me. So, at that time being a part of the thriller genre was really exciting for me. I felt like not many young actors at that point were really getting into this whole thriller zone. And the good part actually about thrillers is that the script lands up being the most important part. Actually, the script is the hero of the film. And when I got the narration of U-Turn, I really loved the script. I thought the script was so incredible and so just well thought of so tight. No loopholes. It came together wonderfully in the end. So, I remember thinking that this was a film that I was definitely very, very interested in. And then eventually, I was like, you know what? Let’s just do it. And that’s how I ended.
Q: Was there anything challenging for you while filming this project?
Alaya F: This is my first solo lead film. I didn’t realise that when you are needed in basically every single scene, you have no time off whatsoever on a set. You are in every scene, every single day, every single frame. When you’re shooting long hours and lots of night shoots because of course supernatural thriller hain, so even more nights. So, that’s happening. It gets very, very tiring a lot of the time. But luckily here we are, we are young, and we’re full of energy. Might as well push ourselves.
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Q: You also somewhere mentioned that the director didn’t want you to watch the original and perform as you like. So, what were your reference points?
Alaya F: The script. The script for me is always my biggest reference point, and I just pull out as much as I can from the script. I read the script many, many times, trying and understanding the character and the rest I leave up to my imagination.
Q: Any personal supernatural experiences or stories that you would like to share with us?
Alaya F: So, in New York I was living with a ghost for basically the entire time I was in my apartment. Lots of creepy sounds all the time, lots of footsteps. Once I was in a hotel in LA and the shower curtain just moved by itself and I lost my mind. Later on when I went to the reception and I said, “I need to change my room. And I know it sounds silly, but I think it might be haunted or whatever.” The receptionist was like, “oh, what’s your room number?” And we told her the room number and she was like, “oh yeah, we’ve been hearing strange happenings about that room.” And I was like “bro, why are you putting people in the room then?” Another creepy instance was, I was staying in Bikaner in one of those old, palace-type hotels, and my room door was basically unlocked from the inside of the room.
It’s one of those latches, so you can’t unlock it from the outside no matter what. And two doors of latches. And when I woke up in the morning, both the doors were just open, like wide open, and it was so creepy because you physically cannot open it anywhere from the outside. The latches are put on inside. There’s no explanation for that. So, lots of creepy things like that. Smaller, smaller moments, but a lot of creepy things.
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Q: Your filmography is such a good mix between OTT and theatrical releases. So, what is that one thing that you look into a project before signing it?
Alaya F: I feel, there should be something that makes me feel safe. So, sometimes I can feel safe because of the co-actor I have. Sometimes I can feel safe because of the production house. Sometimes it’s the script, sometimes it’s the director. But I have to have one thing that I believe will really anchor the project. Other than the performance that I want to put in there, I need to believe that there’s this anchor to the film. So, in the case of U-Turn, that really came through in the form of Ekta ma’am and the script. So, both of these became my anchors in the film, and then I just went with it.
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Q: Amongst your contemporaries and all of the releases that they’ve had this past year, which is that one film or one project that you wish you had a chance with?
Alaya F: I feel Gunjan Saxena was the one film that I was like, what a great role for a young actor to be able to portray. It had so much to it. So I thought that was definitely the one that I would’ve loved to do. But of course, I think Janhvi did an incredible job and I thought she did so well in it.
Q: Priyanka Chopra recently said that you are the next Bollywood superstar. What was your reaction to that?
Alaya F: My reaction was extreme excitement, extreme nervousness, extreme overthinking, extreme everything. I was just overwhelmed and excited and grateful and over the moon to get a compliment like that from her in such an unexpected way. It was so unexpected when it happened, but every time I’m asked about it, it just gets me excited all over again. It’s just that I love when women support women and I feel so grateful that I was supported by her. That’s awesome. It’s so special.
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Q: Apart from films, your fashion sense is something that people really talk about. So, how will you explain or put your personal style in one line?
Alaya F: Versatile, versatile, fully versatile. Depends on my mood, depends on which part of my body is bloated or not bloated. Depends on whether I feel like dressing cute or whether I feel comfy. Make sure you feel confident in whatever you’re wearing.
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Q: 3 skincare tips for sweat proof day under the sun?
Alaya F: Drink lots and lots and lots of water. Put on SPF F and and go get some vitamin D.
Q: What are the current makeup trends that you’re loving?
Alaya F: I just decided to go very colourful today just because my jacket was quite oversized. I wanted to tie up my hair and do something fun. Makeup trends that I’m loving again, depending on my mood. Everything depends on my mood, but I think nice, fun eyes and nude lips are always a great combination.
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Q: If you could recreate an iconic Bollywood heroine’s look, who would that be?
Alaya F: Okay, that’s a good question. I feel like Rekha ji is a perpetual style icon. So, I feel like anything she does is just incredible. Maybe something that she would do.
Q: What are the beauty home remedies passed down by your mother to you?
Alaya F: Nothing, I make all the face packs and give them to her. So, all of that is from me to her.
Also Read: ‘The Male Feminist’: Alaya F Is Friends With Her Exes, Thanks To Mom Pooja Bedi!
Q: An advice that your mom gave you about the industry that you swear by?
Alaya F: Treat everyone with kindness and always be professional.
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Q: Dream Director and co-star that you would love to work with?
Alaya F: Dream Director for me is always Zoya Akhtar. I can’t wait to work with Zoya ma’am. I just love her films, so I can’t just wait to be a part of that world that she creates so beautifully. And there are so many co-actors that I wanna work with. But next, I’m really hoping to work with Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan, I think they have just so much energy. I think they’ll be so much fun to work with. In any film, it could be in any genre, but I just am looking forward.
First Published: April 24, 2023 1:41 PMAlaya F’s Punchy Yellow Pantsuit Looks Like A Pina Colada. We Think It’s Quite A Serve!
