Sara Ali Khan says mom Amrita Singh reading trolls' comments about her is hurtful: 'If I could block her social media'

Sara Ali Khan talks about her new film, Metro In Dino, and why the trolling that comes her way makes her nervous about her mom, Amrita Singh.

Even though they are both actors, Sara Ali Khan and her mother, Amrita Singh, have different relationships with stardom, and social media is at the heart of it. "She was a public figure when all of this was not even relevant," Sara tells us, while talking about social media and trolling. As we meet during the promotions of her upcoming film, Metro...In Dino, Sara talks about romance, cinema, and the changing dynamics of audience feedback.

Sara Ali Khan is the daughter of actors Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan.

On romance and confusion

Metro...In Dino, directed by Anurag Basu, is the spiritual sequel to the director's 2007 hit, Life in a Metro. The new film is an anthology that deals with the challenges love faces in metro cities. Sara is paired opposite Aditya Roy Kapur in a story that focuses on the confusions and uncertainties that new-gen couples face. Sara feels that the newer generation is somewhat unfairly tagged as 'too confused' when it comes to love. "The confusion was always there," she says, before adding with a laugh, "I wouldn't really know."

However, Sara agrees that the younger generation does like to label and intellectualise things. I do think my generation feels the need to box, label, understand, and intellectualise everything. Baal ki khaal udhedna (making a mountain out of a molehill), as they say. That is a bit of a problem for a lot of people in my generation. So they want to have terms for these things," says Sara, while referring to the many Gen Z terms for romance, such as situationship, orbiting, and breadcrumbing.

On negativity on social media

The actor admits that personal lives and relationships for public figures like actors have become challenging because of the constant scrutiny on social media. But she says she has found a way to detach herself from it. "I have always been like 'jo bolna hai bolo'," she says, emphasising her 'say what you want' philosophy.

But the meanness on social media does irk her "If I am being honest, I wish I could confiscate my mom's phone, because this X and Instagram is something that she also uses for just fun. Jab bhi kuch bura bhala bolte hain (Whenever someone says something bad) (about Sara), my only thought is 'oh God, I don't want my mom to read this'. That's the only thing that's hurtful," she says.

Sara says that she has come to terms with how negativity spreads on social media and can disregard many comments, but is pained to see her mother being affected by it. She explains, "I can fully understand that this is some nameless, frustrated person. But maa toh maa hoti hai. That's the only thing that really gets to me. If I could block her social media, I wouldn't give a damn!"

What makes matters worse, says Sara, is that Amrita does not address those comments to her. "She reads and pretends there is nothing. It's like the elephant in the room we don't address. But, I know she has read something sad. She doesn't address it, but I can see it on her face. Mujhe acha nahi lagta (I don't feel good)," she adds.

About Metro In Dino

Metro…In Dino also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Neena Gupta, and Anupam Kher. The film is scheduled to release on 4 July.