Actor Sandeepa Dhar is a familiar face on the screen. The actor believes that travel transforms a person in more ways than one. Travel+Leisure India & South Asia caught up with her to talk about her recent trip to Ireland, what’s keeping her busy on the work front, and much more.
Excerpts from the interview with Sandeepa Dhar
T+L India: How would you describe your personal travel style?
Sandeepa Dhar: My personal travel style is comfortable and chic.
T+L India: You recently travelled to Ireland. Any particularly fun memory from the trip?
Sandeepa Dhar: There are plenty, it’s hard to pick one! My phone’s screen got cracked while filming a reel, and I realised the struggles of being a content creator. I was running around for a new phone. I also got lost during the trip—all thanks to my best friend who missed guiding me for a few turns. Here, if you miss the correct exits on the highways, then it is an extra drive for nearly 20-30 kilometres. Additionally, we walked a lot, tried different dishes, and I also chipped my tooth. The entire trip was a lot of fun and memorable.
T+L India: What places or experiences do you recommend in Ireland?
Sandeepa Dhar: I suggest going for a lot of treks and hikes. If you’re in Donegal or around Silo then go glamping. It is a beautiful experience that I’ll never forget. I’ll also suggest hiring a car—the roads in the country are very scenic and driving through them is a lot of fun. You lose track of time when you’re driving along the sea. I also recommend going during the end of autumn, it’s brilliant out there at that time.
T+L India: Do you also experiment with food on your travels?
Sandeepa Dhar: I’m a big-time foodie, and I always experiment with food. I always look up restaurants and local cuisines before I go somewhere. I have an entire list of restaurants that I have to try when I’m in a certain city or country. According to me, the whole point of travelling is to ditch comfort food and try different local cuisines.
T+L India: One place that you keep going back to and why?
Sandeepa Dhar: London. The UK is a great mix of everything. I prefer a combination of nature, city, and nightlife, along with hikes, trails, and ruins. When I travel, I like to watch musicals, go to art exhibitions, and visit amusement parks for the fun factor. The UK is perfect in this sense because it gives you everything. I end up going there over and over again because there’s so much to see and do in the city and it is lovely during any season, month, or time of the year.
T+L India: What is keeping you busy on the work front?
Sandeepa Dhar: I’m currently prepping for a film that I start shooting for next month. For me, this prep work is always the best time because I learn new skills and work on a new character. I try to do as many different things as possible. I’m also reading a lot of scripts and narrations. And working with different brands is also keeping me busy these days.
T+L India: How have your travels inspired your work?
Sandeepa Dhar: I believe at the end of the day, as an actor, we have to draw from within. For every character that we play, we have to look inwards, and it can only work when we have worked on ourselves. One of the ways you work on yourself is by travelling because it gives you the time and experience to reflect. You also imbibe many things from your surroundings subconsciously when you’re travelling. The more I explore, the better I understand myself and become aware of who I am, and in turn I get better with my craft and my art.
T+L India: Who is your favourite travel partner and why?
Sandeepa Dhar: My favourite travel partner is my friend from college, Sneha. She is flexible and we like to do similar things while on a holiday. We differ from each other yet are similar and together we end up having a lot of fun.
T+L India: What makes an ideal vacation for you?
Sandeepa Dhar: According to me, a vacation in itself is ideal—meaning any place that I go to is not bad. It’s about what you do there and what’s your frame of mind at that point in time. Hence, as long as I’m travelling and I’m in a place that I have not explored and discovered, I think, for me, that is an ideal vacation. Trying out different food, meeting different people, seeing different geographies, and seeing different art, culture and topography are ideal for me.
T+L India: What’s on your bucket list for 2023?
Sandeepa Dhar: I’ve been wanting to see the Northern Lights for so long, it’s been on my bucket list for a while. Hopefully, I can tick off watching the Northern Lights in Norway during my birthday, which is in February.
All photographs courtesy of Sandeepa Dhar
Simrran Gill
Features Editor
An advocate of slow travel, Simrran Gill can mostly be found documenting her journeys, food, and people. Often fascinated by life in general, she is a true-blue Delhite and loves every opportunity to pack a suitcase and hop on the next flight out. She is a post-graduate in journalism and has previously worked with Outlook Traveller. When not travelling you will find her shooting portraits, making a new Spotify playlist, or organising things around her.
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