Alaya F on her work ethics, being bold in her responses and more

Cosmo ed Nandini Bhalla chats with Alaya F about the fire that burns in her belly, and her learnings from a short yet significant career.

Nandini Bhalla: I last spoke to you almost two years ago. And you told me then that what you really wanted to do was work hard and work more. How have things changed since then? 

Alaya F: “I remember the last time we spoke was during the pandemic. And at that time, I only had one release out because there was a three-year gap between my first and my second release, thanks to our dear pandemic. Even though I had started shooting for a lot of new projects, many didn’t launch. So during that phase, I was just shooting and waiting. And then six months later, I had three releases and it felt great. I’m glad that there are more things to do now and people can see me take up various kinds of roles.”

NB: Do you think that you have grown up in the last couple of years? 

AF: “I believe the pandemic was such an odd circumstance, that it expedited our sense of maturity. I look at my interviews from the pre-pandemic era when I was promoting my first film, Jawaani Jaaneman, and I think I was talking like a child. But I definitely do notice a significant change in me post the pandemic.”

NB: Do you find yourself being more measured in your responses now? 

AF: “I wasn’t as groomed as a lot of other people when I entered the industry. My energies were focused on acting and I thought everything else would fall into place. So whether it was, you know, little things like how my face shouldn’t look puffy...those things didn’t matter to me.”

NB: ...ah, do tell us Alaya, what are the secrets to ensuring your face does not look puffy? 

AF: “Applying ice. This is the simplest trick, and I’ve even posted about it on social media. And I’m one of those people who sure loves a good trick.”

NB: So tell me more about how you manage responses now... 

AF: “Truth be told, I think I’ve become less measured in my responses over time! Earlier, I would try and be really diplomatic about things because I genuinely am a diplomatic person. But this time around, when I was promoting U-Turn, I remember just thinking, ‘This is how I see it, and this is how I’m going to say it’. I’m not going to sugarcoat things. If you don’t like what I say, then you simply have a different opinion from mine. I entered the industry thinking I’m a young, little thing that knows absolutely nothing and needs to be moulded. But the other day, I was walking into a meeting, and my agent said, ‘Alaya, just know you are no longer that little girl who is just one film old. You’re allowed to have opinions. You have done good work and you have a lot more coming up. You’ve proven yourself as a good actor, so speak with confidence...’ That was pretty good advice. And ever since then, I’ve had the courage to share strong opinions and be bold in the way I ask questions and answer.”

NB: Talking about your team, I heard about how on The Kapil Sharma Show, you said that you don’t listen to your mom, but, instead, you listen to the people that you work with... 

AF: “This is something I started doing even before I began auditioning. I love my independence. I don’t like people telling me what to do. Of course, my parents and my family have never been the type to say, ‘This is what you’re supposed to do!’ But, you know, my mother was not a part of the film industry for very long. So many times, she would say things that made sense in discussion but didn’t completely make sense for my career. I wasn’t a part of this industry growing up at all. I never really knew how it worked. In fact, a lot of my learnings came from YouTube channels like Film Companion. And at that time, I realised that my family and I saw things differently. And the direction I wanted to follow was totally different... So one day, I decided that I wanted to do things my way. And I told my mom that if tomorrow, my decisions don’t work out, I don’t want to have to blame anyone else for them. And they do work out, I want to be able to take the credit. My work family is very special to me. I’ve been with the same team since the beginning and they empower me to make my own decisions.”

NB: When you look back at your short yet significant career, what are you most proud about?

AF: “I am proud of the fact that people look at me as a reliable performer. I think as an actor, my first job is to be able to act, and the fact that this has consistently been validated makes me really happy. And of course, you know, as an actor, I grow with every single project. What also makes me feel really proud is that I’ve tried to stay authentic throughout—I’ve done things my way. All the people I’ve worked with so far, have always been really happy having me on their projects.”

NB: How do you view fame now, from the way that you used to view it earlier? 

AF: “There was this one very profound moment during the pandemic. I remember this very clearly and it was such a nice, humbling moment. My first film Jawaani Jaaneman had just released and it did really well for me. I was being recognised for the first time in my life. Everywhere I went, people knew I was an actor. But then there was this time between the two pandemic waves. And I was at a dinner party and a number of people came up to me and asked, ‘So what do you do?’ And I remember thinking, ‘No one knows what I do anymore!’ And it’s in moments like these that you realise how you could be flying one moment, and the very next, be brought back to Earth. And I think that was a really important lesson for me because it taught me that no matter how well you think you’re doing, you have to keep proving yourself. And after that experience, I’ve never let anything get to my head, because I remember that feeling of dejection on that one night when I told at least 20 people what I did for a living.”

NB: Alaya, where does your work ethic come from? 

AF: “So I am a very planned, meticulous person, most of the time. I like having structure, I don’t like uncertainty. This is why my decision to be an actor was the most out-of-character thing I’d ever decided to do in my life because it is the most uncertain, most unstructured, most unpredictable profession. And I ran from it for a long, long time. But when I decided to jump in, it was terrifying, and I had to make it less scary. And process and discipline became my coping mechanisms and tools to make things less scary. I tried to find a sense of structure within this industry. And that somehow also translated into a good work ethic. I got into the habit of training really hard. I’d try and do a good job for brands, and then the word would travel and I’d get more work because people had heard of my work ethic while working with other brands. I don’t know who I would be if I was to lose my work ethic. And I feel it sort of defines me now.”

NB: Talking about doing things your own way, it is rare for an actor to own their social media game in the way that you do. Tell me more about your relationship with social media... 

AF: “Again, that came from complete and utter fear. The pandemic had just begun, and I had been financially independent for a while. I had barely just begun, and suddenly, the pandemic hit and I didn’t want to go back to my parents or ask for an allowance. So what could I do? And I realised that the only thing I could control in that moment was my social media. That’s the only way I could get people to keep seeing me...and not forget me. I wanted to post content until I was coming out of their eyes and ears! I had been wanting to work on my social-media game for a long time, and I just went for it. People loved what I posted, and it really worked for me, too. During the pandemic, I was worried that I wouldn’t even be able to pay salaries. But by the end of it, I had bought myself a car!”

NB: In the past, we’ve talked about how you were a quiet, shy child. But now I can sense the independence and confidence. Where does your inner strength come from? 

AF: “My mother’s always been fiercely independent— always done her own thing. My mother’s mother, my nani, was also an incredibly independent woman. I feel like I have known no other way. You know, all the men in our family support and empower strong women. There’s a joke that runs in our family that the women do all the talking so any man with a loud opinion will never fit in. Because the women have to be the ones with stronger opinions. So I suppose since that’s the only way I’ve really known life, I was bound to be independent. I’m sure tomorrow, if I have a daughter, she will be the exact same. It’s like a pattern with the women in my family. Once you taste independence, and love it, you will want nothing else. It’s been two years since I moved into my own home...I run my entire household, and I can’t imagine being dependent on anyone.”

NB: Okay, my last question is, what do you hope will happen in your life next? 

AF: “I just want lots and lots of wonderful opportunities, and I want to just make the most of them. I feel like I have so much fire in me, so much I want to prove... There is so much I want to do and I just can’t do it fast enough.”

On Alaya F

Image 1: Handwoven silk slip dress, Péro; Unbreak My Heart Earrings, Anatina; BIRKENSTOCK Mayari Oiled Leather Festival Fuchsia Sandals

Image 2: Scallow Bikini Top and Rorange Knitted Resort Trousers, both Shivan & Narresh; Albatross Ring, Esme Crystals; BIRKENSTOCK Madrid Grained Leather Emerald Green Sandals

Image 3: Fiery Bloom Jersey Crop Top and Algae Denim Patch Dress, both Kanika Goyal Label; Vintage Oval Shell Earrings, Viange
Vintage; BIRKENSTOCK 1774 Florida Fresh Avantgarde Black Sandals

Image 4: Peru Shirt, Cord; Paper Bag Bottom Tie up Pants, Kanika Goyal Label; Sultana Dome Stud Earrings, Isharya; BIRKENSTOCK Arizona Big Buckle Oiled Leather Olive Green Sandals

Shoot credits:

Styling: Sahil Gulati; Photographs: Arjun Mark; Hair and Make-Up: Mehak Oberoi; Fashion Assistants: Smriti Mishra and Nidhi Jain; Production: Studio Little Dumpling