From portraying unconventional roles on screen to travelling to offbeat destinations, actor Kubbra Sait enjoys walking on paths untrodden. In a candid chat, the self-proclaimed ‘babe on bonfire’ relives some of her most memorable vacations, including one where she accidentally stumbled upon artist Salvador Dali’s birthplace!
By Bayar Jain
T+L India: How did you foray into acting?
Kubbra Sait: I think I wanted to be an actor more for other people and less for me. There was no remote connection to the [film] industry in my family. I wanted to dabble around and figure it out. But it was as conventional as it could be. I went to auditioning rooms and spent months waiting for a phone call only to find out I wasn’t selected. It started with ad auditions and it grew from there. And finally, Sacred Games happened and people realised I am an actor.
T+L India: A lot of your life was spent in Bengaluru and Dubai. Was it difficult to adopt to Mumbai?
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Kubbra Sait: My entire childhood and college days were in Bangalore [now Bengaluru]. My professional life started in Dubai. But I think I learned how to handle myself in a new country and culture. Not only was Dubai different from Bangalore in terms of culture, it was a different geography, language, and weather too. I had started from zero and had gone there without a job or bank balance. When I came to Mumbai, I was more prepared to start all over again. I think I did well!
T+L India: How do you prepare for your roles—physically, mentally, and emotionally?
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Kubbra Sait: I don’t think I know what it takes to be an actor. I just wanted to be famous! I didn’t approach it as a craft. But when I started working and getting new characters to play, I realised I wouldn’t keep growing if I operated with the same sensibility. And if I don’t grow, it will become very boring for me. Now I am learning how to make a character. Some characters require you to work physically. For example, when I was shooting for Foundation, I didn’t look anything like a warrior. Every day, I was becoming bigger, stronger. For Kuckoo [in Sacred Games], I didn’t have to do anything with my body. I was already big compared to Nawaz [Nawazuddin Siddiqui]. And then I had big heels and dresses! Sometimes you have hair and makeup that allows you to become that character; sometimes you have to put in a lot of thought to understand the character and her relationship with herself and everyone else. Every character requires different preparation.
T+L India: In what ways does travel influence you and your acting?
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Kubbra Sait: I don’t think you can become an actor if you haven’t lived life. You live life through the films you watch, the people you meet, the books you read, the music you listen to, or the food you taste. You need to have some amount of data that is outside of your comfort zone.
For me, travelling didn’t happen through acting as much as it happened through anchoring. As a host I would say “good evening ladies and gentlemen” from across the world. With that money, I could either shop or I could stay back and explore the city. That’s how I was bitten by the travel bug.
T+L India: What are some of the places you visited within India?
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Kubbra Sait: I have climbed mountains in Ladakh and camped a lot in Uttarakhand. Recently, I went to Karjat—which is not far away from Mumbai—just to get out of the city. I have travelled a lot around Rajasthan. I have been to Udupi to eat their dosa. I have been to Udvada to eat dhanshak. I have travelled a lot around Kerala. I have been to Kashmir.
T+L India: Your most memorable trip?
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Kubbra Sait: There are so many! But I think I found a lot of history in Santorini in Greece. I found an excavation that was 3,000 years old. I travelled to Cappadocia, from where I went to Derinkuyu, a small town an hour away. It has a world heritage site of an underground settlement. It is called Nevşehir. It had a church, a school, a play area for kids, and places for cows, horses, sheep, and goats to live.
T+L India: You’re known to enjoy offbeat travelling. What are some destinations you’ve discovered during your travels?
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Kubbra Sait: People are only now travelling to Andamans. I visited 12 years ago and it was incredible! I have been to Hawaii and hiked up a big dormant volcano. When I was shooting for Foundation, I ended up at Canary Islands. There, I saw natural structures made of sand called Barranco. These barrancos are 12 feet tall so they tower over you as you walk through it. They break if you touch them. And when it rains, every barranco changes shape. So you can never visit the same barranco twice.
I visited Philippines in 2019. I recommend you don’t spend more than half an hour at the Manila airport—it’s very crowded. Take a connecting flight to any of the islands instead. I went to Palawan islands. There are umpteen islands and lagoons in the middle of nowhere. And they’re all protected by the government. If you go there, go to a place called Tao Farm where everything is self-sustainable.
There is a small town called Nara, an hour away from Kyoto in Japan. It has one of the oldest Buddhist temples, and it is now a deer settlement. You can see deer crossing the road, you can eat rice cake with them, and you can even take selfies with them!
T+L India: You stumbled upon the birthplace of Salvador Dali accidentally. How did that happen?
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Kubbra Sait: After spending three-four days in Casta Brava at an Airbnb, I had go to Barcelona for a show. The client sent a car to pick me up. When I got into the car, the cab driver and I started talking about travel and what I could see on my return journey to Casta Brava. He asked me whether I knew of a famous artist called Salvador Dali. I said, “Of course!” He said that he would take a detour to Figueres on the way back. In Figueres, there is a museum designed by Dali himself. And [the town] was not only Dali’s birthplace, but he was cremated there as well.
T+L India: How do you plan your travels?
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Kubbra Sait: I create a basic itinerary and divide it into different chunks. I usually start my travels as a story with a beginning, middle, and an end. I know where I’m getting in and out from; the middle is what I play with. I speak to the locals to find out where I can go and what I can see. Sometimes they will tell you the regular spots but you will find something unique there.
T+L India: Do you like to revisit a place and explore it in a new light or explore new places?
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Kubbra Sait: I am a person who always likes going to new places. I am very greedy! I have an app on my phone called Been where you can mark the countries that you have visited. I have only seen 13 per cent of the world!
T+L India: What are your favourite diving spots so far?
Kubbra Sait: I really love Andamans. I am madly In love with the Maldives because the visibility is so clear. I have been diving in Bali—that is very nice. When I was much younger I visited Oman, but I would like to go back now since I am a diver. Oman is one of the best places to dive and nobody talks about it.
T+L India: What is an ideal holiday like for you?
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Kubbra Sait: An ideal vacation for me would be a bit of adventure, culture and food. For me, that’s what encapsulates a good trip; one where you are able to explore the culture through the museums. I love to have food and [try] unique alcohol. I also like my relaxation. I try to keep my days of visit anywhere between seven to 12 days.
T+L India: What kind of a traveller would you call yourself?
Kubbra Sait: I am in-between comfort and backpacker. I enjoy luxury but I am more on the comfort side. I can go to a good Airbnb and stay, and [opt out] of a five-star hotel. I usually travel Business Class even if it is small trip. I like to ensure that my journey is comfortable and relaxed, so that when I get off the plane, I can go and do things that matter to me. I love hostels! I also believe that I have been able to do all this because I have been a solo traveller for the longest time.
T+L India: Do you remember your first solo trip?
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Kubbra Sait: Japan was me all on my own. I climbed Mount Fuji. I travelled a lot on my own without a map and without knowing the language.
T+L India: Any advice for solo women travellers?
Kubbra Sait: I think you need to understand the culture of where you are travelling. When you are trying to travel offbeat, try to do it in the day. While I am all for going on your own, I would say take a tour operator. Go with people who you can kind of trust. Leave your point of contact with people who aren’t with you so that you don’t go missing. Make sure your family is informed of your whereabouts. And if it is in the night, then go with a group of people; don’t go by yourself! Try to find a tribe. Listen to your instincts. I honestly believe that every woman in the world should travel alone at least once in her life. There is joy in being alone and experiencing it.
Related: Actor Kubbra Sait Is Being Her Quirky Self During Her Holiday In Ireland
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