Model-turned-actress Kubbra Sait became a household name after she played a transgender in Netflix series Sacred Games. The actress recently walked the ramp for Tarun Tahiliani during the ongoing Blender’s Pride Fashion Tour.

In an interview to thestatesman.com, she spoke about modelling, acting, Sacred Games, her Gully Boys co-actor Ranveer Singh and many more things related to her career in the entertainment industry.

Excerpts:

Did you expect the kind of responses you got for Sacred Games?

Absolutely not. When you are working towards anything that is creative, you only believe in that one moment. This is something I have followed, whether it’s hosting a show or narrating a story as a storyteller or as an actor. In that one second, it is absolutely selfless and everything around you gets blurred and there is weird anxious silence around you and is defining. There is a hint inside you is that what you are creating is beautiful and you can’t anticipate that it would become iconic or change who you are. It’s just that journey and if you’re honest in that one moment then everything just sticks to that.

What was your reaction when the role of ‘Cuckoo’ was offered to you?

I went crazy. Anurag gave me 15 minutes’ spiel about the role and I was like please cut the chase and finally after 15 minutes he says so we agreed to go with you. And I was like couldn’t you have started with this I would have listened to you. And four days later, I was shooting. So, it was just overjoy moment. I was happy for every yes in my life.

What was the experience of working with actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan?

I didn’t have an opportunity to work with Saif Ali Khan, but it felt amazing when in an interview he and Kareena Kapoor Khan both appreciated what I have done and was so empowering to know that what you did reached out to so many people.

And as far as Nawaz is concerned, as a co actor, he is a divine human being… He is so self-contained and secure actor that when he walks on the set he doesn’t have an entourage; he doesn’t have people shadowing him. He is literally siting in the corner and doing his thing, he is that beautiful as a human being. And when the scene begins, he is just there and magic just happens. That’s the trait I would love to use no matter where I go, what I do in life, to just know that it’s not your scene is the scene.

How do you see Netflix or Amazon Prime as a platform for a country where the mass audience is always into movies?

I think it has become very accessible. For a long long time in our country, we used to believe that it’s Sunday and we will watch a movie. And now with the kind of traffic we have, time we have, hours of working, this family time can be used within your home and that is an experience which is a privilege to today’s generation. Today, I am able to catch up with the old movies easily with this wide platform at the luxury of my time. I think it’s spectacular for the entertainment generation.

Tell us what you think about Tarun Talihani’s creations?

He is amazing and a grounded person. He has been creating since I was 7 years old so for him. He lived abroad, studied abroad, taking a little bit on the plate you have, and that is so much diversity, and then come to India and still be so rooted. And getting the west and east world charm and putting them together and presenting it as new (is amazing). I think it is very charismatic and when you meet him as person he is super lively, charming and there is a burst of colour, character, and joy in what he creates.

You are going to appear in Gully Boys. How was it to work with Ranveer Singh?

I am going to do a cameo in Gully Boys. Ranveer is the dearest human being. He has such an outburst of energy, he is a livewire. He makes the room come together. It was lovely to work with him, and again is a chameleon. When you see him in the film, you would be like what. I didn’t recognise him on the sets on Day 1. He said hi to me, and I was like ‘it’s you?’ He is lovely!

Rapid fire:

Fashion to you is?

It is comfort, happiness and joy.

Your idea of love?

I am hopeless in love, but love is so beautiful and it makes my world come around.

Series you are currently watching?

I am looking forward to watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Favourite designers apart from Tarun?

Rohit Bal, Ashish and Soni, Gaurav Gupta

Netflix or sleep?

Sleep with Netflix

Favourite cuisine?

Italian

Pizza or Rajma Chawal?

Pizza