#CosmoExclusive: Sanya Malhotra on Embracing Her Curly Hair, the Greatest Life Lesson She Has Learnt, Her Upcoming Films and More

“I am living my dream life and I believe with this dream comes responsibility—which I am very well aware of,” confesses the 30-year-old. Sanya Malhotra has proven her acting prowess and is a force to be reckoned with in the film industry today. After rooting for Babita Phogat in Dangal (2016) and empathising with Sandhya Giri in Pagglait (2021), it’s safe to say that the actor outdoes herself, with each passing film.  

“It's a golden period to be an actor in Bollywood right now. Content is king, hands down, and I believe that the lens is changing, with the audience demanding the correct depiction of women. Bollywood is changing and I'm glad to be a part of this change,” she adds. But beyond the silver screen, who really is Sanya Malhotra? Aside from her acting chops—and her flair for dancing—Sanya is a simple girl at heart, who has found the greatest love for herself.

In an exclusive interview with the Chief Brand Advocate of The Body Shop India, we delve deeper into the person she really is, behind the scenes.

 

Cosmopolitan India: You have gorgeous, lustrous curls, and we’ve seen you flaunt them every chance that you get. Tell us about your relationship with your hair.

 

Sanya Malhotra: “To be honest, while growing up, curly hair was one of my insecurities. I didn't like my hair, just because I didn't know how to style and take care of my curls. A while later, I came across a curly hair routine on YouTube. It was then—around the 11^th-12^th standard—that I learnt how to take care of my curls, and what needs to be done to make it look fresh and hydrated because curly hair tends to appear dry and frizzy. Ever since, I've been following curly hair routines and keep experimenting. I take time out to research about products and routines that I can follow to tame my curls.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: Would you care to share any tips with the women who struggle to tame their curly hair?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “For those who are struggling, it’s important to acknowledge and accept that curly hair is high maintenance. That said, if you find the right routine for your hair, there's no going back. It’s so important to embrace all parts of you, to get that boost of self-confidence. I, for one, absolutely love my hair and don't even mind it being frizzy at times. I would never trade my curls for straight hair because I think curly tresses just have a character of their own.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: Tell us your favourite product(s) from The Body Shop, and why so?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “My favourite has to be the lip and cheek tint—it has a sentimental value attached to it. It was the first makeup that I ever used on my face, and I continue to use it to date. It lends the right proportion of pigment as a blush, plus, it’s long-lasting and gives you a flushed, dewy look. Even if you’re not wearing a full face of makeup, you can apply the tint to feel fresh. Apart from the tints, I recently started using the Hemp Oil from The Body Shop for my dry skin; believe it or not, Mumbai is a little nippy these days. Another go-to is The Body Shop Vitamin E moisturizer. Being back on set, layers of makeup and lights tend to dry out the skin and it makes it look dull. Here’s where the Vitamin E moisturizer comes into play. For curly hair, I swear by The Body Shop Banana Hair Mask and the Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: A secret talent no one knows you possess?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “Well, I don’t think any of my talents are hidden anymore. But perhaps, that I like to cook? I’m not sure if I’m a great cook, but I do like my cooking—at least it’s edible, I think.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: What is the greatest life lesson that you have learnt so far?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “Communication is the key. Communicate whatever you feel, simply. Communicate it to your loved ones, people you know, or even a therapist. It's always better to communicate how you're feeling instead of keeping it bottled up inside. I have done that in the past, but now, I'm learning how to communicate with others.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: Are you guilty of committing any beauty blunders that you regret today?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “Oh yes. I certainly regret using too many products on my face. Now, apart from a night cream, I just apply sunscreen in the morning. I don’t overdo it anymore—no more than two products. I just let my skin breathe; skin minimalism for the win.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: Would you say that your understanding of beauty has evolved over the years?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “Recently, I started reading this book called ‘Beauty Myth’, and I find myself immersed in the process of attempting to understand what beauty really is. I'm trying to figure out what beauty means to me because there are so many things that we’ve been conditioned to believe ‘beauty’ to mean. Beauty is gender-neutral; it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, and at the same time, beauty is a myth. For me, it's embracing what you already have—taking the time to acknowledge, accept, and make peace with ‘you’.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: How do you juggle ‘me time’ and your professional commitments? What is your self-care mantra?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “For me, self-care is taking time out for my mental health. I enjoy spending time with myself; it rejuvenates me. With being back on set, I try and wake up early in the morning to be one with my thoughts. I meditate, sometimes write, or just relish a cup of tea or coffee. Besides that, I enjoy working out—any sort of physical activity, whether it's going to the gym, practising yoga, or running. I would say I’m fairly good at managing my time, so I'm able to strike a balance between my personal and professional life.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: From Babita Kumari to Sandhya Giri, you’ve always assumed the role of a fearless female character on-screen. Walk us through the process of picking pivotal roles in films.

 

Sanya Malhotra: “These are the characters that inspire me, and I'm sure that these characters inspire a lot of women. While the nature of the character isn’t the sole deciding factor—it's always at the back of the mind when picking roles. My values reflect in my characters, and these are the kind of characters I wanted to see portrayed in cinema growing up. I relate to them and they inspire and motivate me. I'm very grateful that filmmakers and writers are exploring such multi-dimensional characters for women in cinema.”

 

Cosmopolitan India: What are your hopes for this year; any exciting projects in the pipeline?

 

Sanya Malhotra: “I hope to live in the moment. Since I am a serial overthinker, tend to ruminate over situations in my life, and pre-plan a lot, I'm just hoping that I'm able to live in the moment this year. On the work front, there are a couple of exciting projects that I'm super excited about. My film Love Hostel was recently released, and I also completed filming Hit with Rajkummar Rao, which is scheduled to release this year. There's also Sam Bahadur with Vicky Kaushal in the pipeline, to be directed by Meghna Gulzar. My first co-star, Fatimah Sana Sheikh, will be in it as well.”