From playing the charming Rashmi Trivedi in Luka Chuppi to embodying a fierce warrior in Panipat, and from bringing a layered portrayal in Mimi to captivating audiences in Do Patti, Kriti has steadily carved her space in Indian cinema. In sync with Grazia India’s tradition of spotlighting voices that shape culture, Kriti graces the April cover reflecting strength and reinvention.

Now, after more than a decade in the industry, Kriti shares that she’s reached a pivotal point in her journey. She reflects, “I’m at a point where saying no is more powerful than saying yes,” she says, post-shoot, over a quick call. “As an actor and as a person, you only have so much time. You have to choose wisely—what excites you, what helps you grow.”

Speaking of her journey towards self-assurance and clarity, Kriti shares, “After 10-11 years in the industry, I have finally reached a place in my life, a space in my career, where I feel I don’t want to run any more, I’m not part of any race in my head. Yes, I want to grow, and I’m ambitious; I want to do better, and I’m always excited about what’s next. It gives you a sense of calm, but you’re still excited about your work, and you only want to do what gives you happiness.”

Opening up about her decision to slow down and realign her priorities, she says, “I consciously took the decision to pause. There’s a part of me that’s satisfied – I’ve proved myself as an actor, I like the work I’ve done, and now I only want to do what I love. I don’t want to be on the set where I’m floating through scenes anymore. You have to consciously make time for yourself, take holidays, and travel. If you give me 10 days off, I can fill them up with 10 days of work that never existed. I have to really make an effort, and I’ve started doing that now.”

On the professional front, Kriti is navigating a new rhythm, “I’ve gone through a phase in my career and life where I was always juggling between multiple films, moving from one set to the other, but I think I prefer it when a film shoots from start to finish. This one is also emotionally very consuming. It’s exciting working with Anand Sir and Dhanush for the first time. I know what I’m doing next, but it hasn’t been officially announced.”

2024 turned out to be a landmark year for Kriti Sanon—a year where long-held dreams finally took shape. Reflecting on the significant changes of that year, she shares, “I started my production house, released my first film, and launched my skincare brand. These are dreams I’ve had in my head for a very long time, but they materialised somewhere around the same time. 2024 has been a very good year for me, and I’m still revisiting memories. We recently completed one year of Crew – a year has just flown by.”

Speaking about Do Patti, Kriti recalls the thought behind the story, “I remember telling Kanika (Dhillon) that there are a lot of causes I feel for, but domestic violence is something that I feel deeply about. I gave her the idea that it was a subject that hadn’t been explored and represented enough. Mostly what happens is women end up staying in a violent relationship for the kids, not realising it can be more harmful for the kids. That thought itself gave me goosebumps.”