Sayani Gupta Reveals Traveling is a Quick Fix to Gather Herself Back!

Nothing is as satisfying as food for the people in Kolkata. Like every Bengali, I also live to eat. A big time foodie in me is because of Kolkata. Delhi had a huge impact on my personality. Whilst studying at LSR, I came across some brilliant and creative people and you cannot deny the company of creative folks can totally transform you for good. In Delhi, I discovered that all my dreams are achievable, those were the enabling years when I found my wings to fly. Three and half years in Pune were a kind of reality check for me. FTII in itself is a microcosm where I evolved at my own pace. It gave me a kind of space to nurture my dreams. The fast-paced life in Mumbai trains you to hustle up. As it is rightly said, ‘Mumbai is the city of dreams,’ -I would say, Mumbai is a place where my dreams are turning into reality. Slowly and steadily, I am paving my way to touch as many hearts with my craft.

There are not one but many things that I feel are exclusive to a country that comprises 29 countries in one. I don’t call them states of India but to me they are countries. We are so fortunate to be in India where after every 500 meter - culture, language, cuisine, topography; a complete lifestyle diversifies. Geographically also if we see, India has myriad landscapes. Be it mountains, rivers, grasslands, plains, deserts, forests; you name it and it's there. Despite being densely populated and so diverse, it is unbelievably heterogeneous. And the best part is, you travel from North to South and then East to West, you surely would gather as many life experiences that you probably won’t experience travelling the whole world.

I remember doing a Travel Show for Doordarshan, Yeh India Meri Jaan. I traveled for 5 months on a stretch and we explored a lot of remote places in North India. The show acquainted me with heaven on earth, Kashmir. With the sound of gushing water, aroma of pine trees, the vibrancy of saffron - Kashmir is the delicate reminder that poetry does not always need words. Kashmir is not just a piece of land but an emotion. I cannot forget the enriching incident whilst camping at Patnitop when the nomads cooked some dish with wild grass and tomatoes and served us on the leaves. Food only tastes good when it is served with love. To cherish all these moments, visiting Kashmir once every year has become a ritual for me.

I like to unwind myself with the short trips depending upon my shoots. Traveling and dancing are two of my favorite indulgences. Also, I am moved by art, I can admire the beauty for hours. The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. My greatest indulgence is food; food for shizzle feeds my soul. And of course, sleep. With my back to back work commitments I stay sleep deprived. I try to get enough sleep to gather myself back.

Apart from going to Kashmir once a year, I often go to Kamshet which is 3 hours drive from Mumbai. We have our theatre artist’s residency where people from all disciplines be it dance, films or fine arts meet, interact and sound ideas. The pristine location of the residency which is nestled by the lake is very calming. And my recent favorite is Sikkim, some connections are profound. I have been there three times in 2 months, the surreal beauty of Sikkim cannot be denied. The scenic beauty and laid back vibe for sure nudges your senses.

Since childhood, I have had this obsessive-compulsive disorder for comfort. So I usually play around with my perky self keeping comfort in mind. My sartorial choices are simple; loose denims, hoodies, comfortable dresses, jackets and sneakers are my hot picks. Playsuit is my all time favorite. Accessories uplifts the spunk, I prefer to accessorize with some classy pieces. And wearing sunglasses at the airport is absolutely bizarre fashion sense according to me as it grabs more attention than required.

In India, I cannot travel solo but my friends who travel solo, vouch for it. I have done solo traveling abroad multiple times and it’s my favorite thing to do. Whenever I travel abroad for a shoot, I prefer to stay back for a few days and explore the place by myself. The best part about traveling solo is that you are liberated. You are not bound to anybody else's mood. I like to stroll around without having any plans in my mind. I sit for hours at one place and sometimes I just walk the whole day. I restore myself when I am alone.

We were shooting for Baar Baar Dekho in Glasgow, Scotland. It’s this pint-sized city that can be scouted in 6 to 8 hours. I remember strolling the entire day and exploring the city on foot was so fulfilling. I perhaps can say that in a minikin city like Glasgow, nothing is far. Another such moment for me was when we were shooting in Nepal in minus 7 degrees temperature. It was this one actor film which I co-produced as well. It’s one of the toughest shoots, a finger numbing experience for me. After those enduring 27 days walking in the snow, when we wrapped up and sat in the car, I realized why they say that the wheel is the greatest invention of mankind. I genuinely feel that when we are behind the wheel nothing is far.