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In Bed With Priya Banerjee: “I’ve never needed a dating app!”
The actor talks about being a complete homebody, spending quality ‘me’ time and laughing during serious situations
Priya Banerjee’s parents ( her “constant cheerleaders”) and pet, Abby, still stay in Calgary, Canada, where the actor grew up. Priya ended up in Mumbai, when she took time off after university. Acting was never a part of the plan growing up amidst typically Canadian pastimes like skating, but, she says, “When I auditioned for a Telugu movie and got locked as the lead, I fell in love with acting on the first day of shooting. I felt so alive in front of the camera, I knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.”
Since then, Priya has featured in films like Jazbaa and Hume Tumse Pyar Kitna and web shows Bhanwar and Bekaaboo (and its sequel). She will be seen next in the Netflix show Rana Naidu, a remake of Ray Donovan. Priya aims to achieve more with each project. And she fuels herself with caffeine for it, she reveals, “I need my chai as soon as I wake up and while shooting, a few cups of black coffee.” She prefers chilling with close friends and ordering in. “Playing Truth or Dare is fun with friends whose secrets you want to know or when you want to make them do stupid things,” she laughs.
Tell us three things that nobody knows about you.
1. I don’t like socialising at all unless it’s just my close friends; I’m a complete homebody.
2. I love spicy-tangy food.
3. This might come as a surprise to most people but I hate chocolate!
What’s a fashion item you hoard?
Purses. OMG, I’m addicted to buying purses.
If you were to go out for a girls’ night, where would you head?
Any nice pub or bar, but outside India. (laughs)
A health shot you swear by?
Water. Always stay hydrated.
One thing you do for your mental health?
Spend quality ‘me’ time.
A fitness regime you follow?
I’m a runner. I have never been a big fan of weight training.
Would you use a dating site/app?
I have nothing against them, but I have never needed one.
A relationship rule that you follow?
I believe honesty and communication are crucial for a healthy long-term relationship.
What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you while performing?
I am clumsy and have tripped and fallen over way too many times during shoots. I have made a complete fool of myself; but fortunately I can laugh at myself. Unfortunately, I also have this bad habit of laughing during the most serious situations. Hopefully, I don’t get beaten up someday due to it. (laughs)
Your guilty pleasure?
Wine.
Describe yourself in a hashtag.
#Foodie.
{ Bedside stories }
What’s the one thing you don’t have on your bedside table but would like to?
A picture of Shah Rukh Khan with me.
Do you read or watch shows more often in bed?
I am not a reader, but I love watching movies before sleeping.
Which is your preferred side of the bed?
Right! ‘Coz I’m always right.
Do you sleep with your windows open?
Nope. I prefer to keep the air conditioner running thanks to the Mumbai heat, and now, rain.
What do you wear to bed?
In all honesty…nothing. Ever since I was in university, I have preferred it that way.
{ This or that }
Downtown bungalow or sea-facing apartment?
I find the sound of the waves therapeutic, so, a sea-facing apartment.
Prose or poetry?
Poetry, because it’s beautiful.
Cold coffee or mango milkshake?
Tricky. Cold coffee, so that I get my dose of caffeine.
Staying with parents or moving out?
Living alone after a certain age is the best as you get to do things on your own, make your own mistakes and learn from your experiences.
From HT Brunch, July 23, 2022
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