She is the nation’s new love, but seven-year-old Harshaali Malhotra, who stole everyone’s heart as Shahida in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, has no inkling of her popularity.
When she met Salman Khan for the first time, she told him, “Mujhe bhi aapke jaisa superstar banna hai, banaoge?” (I too want to be a superstar like you, will you make me one?)
While chatting with us, most of her answers are whispered into her mother Kajal Malhotra’s ears. “I played table tennis with Salman uncle; Kabir uncle too. We did a lot of masti on the sets. I enjoyed working with all of them,” she says, adding, “But my favourite heroines are Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.”
Shooting was of course a lot of fun for Harshaali. “I enjoyed shooting in Delhi and Punjab. But I loved Kashmir the most. I loved playing with snowballs… I also threw snowballs at Salman uncle. I also loved it when Nawaz uncle (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) climbed on Salman uncle’s back,” she says.
Since the first time she watched a film in a theatre, she wanted to be a part of it. Her mom Kajal says, “Perhaps it’s her destiny. I think the first time we took her to a cinema hall was two years ago. No one in either side of the family has ever worked in films.”
And though Harshaali has been in awe of Salman since she watched him in Kick, she was quite shy when she met him. “When I met him for the first time I was a little surprised. I was not afraid but I thought, ‘how had Salman uncle come out from the screen?’ But I was fine with him later,” says Harshaali.
“I want to become an actress like Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, they are my favourites,” she adds. “I do not like action films. Whenever my mom and dad take me out to watch films, I always ask them if it is an action film. Even while shooting, when guns were fired in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, I would start crying, but Kabir uncle played a lot with with me. I love all of them.
“I play with my brother at home. Also, I have a big teddy bear… he is my best friend too. I also do my homework. On the sets mom made me finish my homework and I appeared for all my exams and got good grades,” she says.
Harshaali says she loves the climax scene of the film the most. “I liked the last scene when I shout ‘mama’ and say, ‘Jai Shri Ram’.” Holding her breath for a while she whispers into her mom’s ears, “Can I call up Salman uncle and ask him if I can call him ‘mama’?”
