Pretty woman

ARPITA ON STAYING FIT, LOOKING GOOD AND STUMPING PROSENJIT WITH HER SHOPPING SPREE!

Flawless skin. Lustrous locks. Sunny smile. And a twinkle in the eyes.... With her dazzling looks, Arpita is the brand new brand ambassador for Anjali Jewellers. In between shooting for a jewellery ad set for the Pujas, the Tollywood actress took time out for an adda with t2...

What do you prefer — style or trend?

Honestly, whatever is in fashion always works as a reference point for me. I try to incorporate it in a way that suits me. I have never followed trends blindly. More than how I am going to look, what matters to me is how comfortable I am. If you are comfortable in something, it is reflected in your body language. That makes you beautiful.

What does being beautiful mean to you?

For a beautiful body, you need discipline. A beautiful face is god-gifted to a certain extent but the kind of person you are reflects on your face. If you are intelligent, sensible and nice, it will come through.

The three most beautiful heroines?

Madhuri Dixit, Nargis, Marilyn Monroe.

Your personal style?

(Smiles and thinks.) I prefer dressing casually. I like wearing cotton and linen. Most of the time I am either in kurti and jeans or T-shirt and jeans. I am fond of the retro look, be it the hair or clothes. Now retro has made a comeback, but I liked it even when it was not in fashion. I really loved the draped sari that Waheeda Rehman and Mumtaz wore.

Who do you find most fashionable?

My all-time favourite is Madhuri (Dixit). She can carry off both eastern and western outfits with equal grace. I am a die-hard fan! So it is difficult for me to choose my favourite Madhuri look. Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is of course very famous. She dazzled both in that (violet) lehnga as well as that red dress. Stunning!

Your most fashionable buy till date?

I buy a lot of things.... Recently I got a top from Bombay that my friends said was shanghatik fashionable! It is a baggy in black and white. I like sober colours like white, beige and off-white. I think these colours suit me more.

What kind of a shopper are you? And your favourite destinations?

I am more of a planned shopper. I don’t shop for timepass. When I plan and decide to go shopping, tokhon aami fatiye shopping kori. I think Singapore and Bangkok are nice places to shop.

What has been your biggest shopping bill till date?

I had gone to Atlanta City the year before last. The shops were at a walking distance from where we had put up and I shopped like crazy! At one point, my husband (Prosenjit) was forced to SMS me... and you know he really loves to shop, so a person like him messaged: ‘I am not Shah Rukh Khan! I work in the Bengali film industry.’ I just ignored it! It was quite funny. He just wrote these two lines. I wasn’t even looking at the bills because the moment I would do that, I would tell myself to control. But I ran up a pretty good amount. I bought almost everything. Dresses, belts, bags, shoes, sunglasses, perfumes... everything that a girl needs!

Do you shop for Prosenjit?

No... because he has his own taste, which a person of his stature should have. I don’t quite understand that, so I don’t take that risk!

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?

My denims. I have them in a lot of colours... orange, brown. I find them very comfortable.

How do you stay fit?

I go to the gym regularly. I must work out four to five days a week. An hour is enough. It is a full-body workout, but I do concentrate on weight-training to tone up. I don’t need to lose weight.... I am inspired by Rekhaji, Hemaji (Malini) and Jeetendra. I was in Bombay a few days ago for a shoot where I met him (Jeetendra) at the gym. A disciplined and peaceful life helps you in the long run. Discipline in every sphere... what you eat, not doing late nights, not leading a fast life. I don’t drink or smoke.

What is your diet like?

I don’t eat fish and I try not to have rice. I also try to avoid fried foods, ice cream and chocolates. But I don’t follow a mad diet. Looking sick is not something I approve of.

Does it help that you have such a fitness-conscious husband?

He doesn’t eat! And it also isn’t as if we are on the same page about fitness all the time. I don’t believe in not eating and eating after long gaps. See, he knows his job better than anyone else. His body is used to a system, which he has been maintaining for so many years.

Are you a jewellery person?

Not really but I like heavy gold jewellery.