Sobhita Dhulipala marked a decade in cinema at IFP Season 16, reflecting on how her journey has shaped her perspective on the roles she chooses, the stereotypes she wants to move beyond, and the pressures that come with being a leading lady. In a candid conversation about ‘Deconstructing the Leading Lady’, Sobhita spoke about embracing flawed characters, finding the confidence to stay authentic in an industry that often rewards conformity, and stepping into a more uninhibited role with her upcoming film Vettuvam.
Reflecting on how her perspective has evolved over the years, Sobhita said she credits the characters she has played with helping her view the world with greater openness. “For me, I don’t think it’s an age thing. I think the characters that I’ve played have also given me an opportunity to look at the world with more openness and authenticity,” she shared.
Speaking about the changing portrayal of women in Indian cinema, she observed, “I feel, earlier, a leading lady was an ideal. Today, a leading lady is an individual. She has her heartbreak. She is confused. She has ambitions. She has shame. We get to see a lot more of her in a lot of the projects that are made today.” However, she believes the industry must also move beyond the newer expectation that female characters should always be strong. “I want to watch women who are sometimes weak, like I want to watch women who are amazing at their work and maybe a really shitty friend. I want to see it all.”
For Sobhita, breaking stereotypes begins with approaching characters without judgment and allowing them to be complicated. “I take my judgment and try to turn it into curiosity,” she said, explaining how she tries to understand the circumstances behind a character’s behaviour rather than simply playing the surface emotion.
The actor also opened up about learning to stand her ground after being bullied. Recalling how she would withdraw in such situations, she said, “Many times, when I was in situations where I was bullied, I would withdraw because I am a very emotional person. I cry very easily.” She added, “I used to be like that for a very long time. Now I’m not like that.”
Having completed 10 years in the industry, Sobhita also emphasised the importance of staying authentic. Recalling how she once admired a jewellery brand’s campaign during the pandemic, she shared, “I thought, ‘Man, I would love to work with a brand like this and be part of ads like these’. It was a jewellery brand, but I was like, ‘They probably won’t want to work with me. They’d probably want someone who’s your conventional glamorous actress. But a couple of years later, I signed on as their ambassador. And I’m telling you this story because the reason they wanted me was exactly because of who I was.” She added, “I felt recognised because I stayed authentic to how I am and how I feel across my roles as well as my conversations in interviews everywhere.”
That instinct to follow what resonates with her also informs her approach to work. Rather than treating career choices as a checklist of non-negotiables, Sobhita said she has often trusted her instincts, even when a role offers only a brief appearance. Speaking about her upcoming film Vettuvam, directed by Pa. Ranjith, she expressed, “I was really hungry to play a part that was instinctive, alive, and very expressive and provocative. So with Rathi, I got to be that in this film. It’s apocalyptic. It’s clannish. There is martial arts, and it’s just a lot of very unexpected worlds coming together. And it’s visually nothing like I’ve seen in our country, so to be part of that canvas was just next level.”
From a 50-hour filmmaking challenge that began in 2011 to a multidisciplinary creative platform bringing creators from across the world together, IFP brings the 16th season with the same idea at its heart: make something, put it out into the world, and see where it takes you.
Building on 15 glorious editions, IFP Season 16 continues to be a meeting ground for the people making, shaping, and reimagining culture across creative disciplines!