‘I
went
from
being
a
teenager,
to
an
actor
and
eventually
into
a
star
all
so
quickly.’
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Kriti
Kharbanda/Instagram
Kriti
Kharbanda
has
completed
15
years
in
the
movies.
She
made
her
debut
in
the
Telugu
film
Boni
in
2009,
then
rose
to
fame
with
the
Kannada
film
Googly.
She
made
her
Hindi
debut
in
2016
with
Raaz
Reboot
before
establishing
herself
in
Bollywood
with
Shaadi
Mein
Zaroor
Aana,
Housefull
4
and
Pagalpanti.
Kriti
who
will
be
seen
next
in
a
Telugu
film
with
Rana
Daggubati,
says,
‘I’ve
spent
the
last
15
years,
pretty
much
the
majority
of
my
life,
being
an
actor.
What
started
out
as
a
hobby,
as
a
way
to
pay
the
bills
and
being
recognised
slowly
grew
into
a
passion!
A
passion
that
I
didn’t
even
know
existed
inside
of
me.
‘Along
the
way,
I
grew,
as
a
human
being
and
as
an
actor.
The
more
I
understood
the
business,
the
more
fascinated
I
became.
I
remember
the
day
too,
when
I
made
that
mental
shift.
‘Today
as
I
mark
15
years
of
being
an
actor,
I
want
to
share
a
story
with
you.
I
used
to
run
a
boutique
with
my
mum
since
my
teenage
years.
We
used
to
shop,
design
and
spend
of
a
lot
time
picking
up
fabrics
and
what
not.
‘So
a
few
days
after
the
release
of
my
Kannada
movie,
GOOGLY,
we
were
out
in
a
mall.
I
entered
the
store
like
I
always
do,
and
everything
was
fine.
‘As
I
exited
I
realised
there
were
100s
of
people
outside
the
store.
I
looked
up
and
noticed
people
standing
around
the
aisle
and
staring
down
at
me.
‘I
didn’t
quite
understand
what
was
happening
till
the
crowd
started
chanting
“Doctree!
Doctree!”
‘I
couldn’t
believe
my
ears
and
my
eyes!
I
was
so
overwhelmed,
that
I
held
my
dad’s
arm
and
said,
“Parking
main
chalo
pa,
we
need
to
leave!”
‘That
was
the
day
I
realised
the
power
of
cinema
and
our
industry.
I
went
from
being
a
teenager,
to
an
actor
and
eventually
into
a
star
all
so
quickly.
I
was
afraid
to
blink.
Soon
after
this
life
changed.’
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Kriti
Kharbanda/Instagram
‘Today
I
want
to
take
this
opportunity
to
thank
me.
‘The
younger,
naive,
trusting,
passionate,
brave
me.
I’m
here
coz
of
her
today.
Coz
she
could
have
given
up,
I
know
she
wanted
to
when
things
got
hard,
but
she
didn’t.
She
kept
going.
‘And
I
want
to
thank
the
me
of
today.
I’m
so
proud
of
the
person
I’ve
become
and
I
wouldn’t
change
a
thing
about
me.
‘A
big
thank
u
to
everyone
who’s
been
a
part
of
this
incredible
journey.
‘My
family,
my
siblings,
my
husband
and
my
friends,
but
most
of
all,
the
people
who
offered
me
work
and
believed
in
my
talent,
and
the
fans
who
kept
me
going
with
their
love
for
me.
‘Thank
u
for
trusting
me
with
entertaining
you.
Thank
u
for
watching
my
movies
and
thank
u
for
believing
in
me.
Lots
of
love.’
