The Art of Happiness
Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig once said, “It is a blessing not yet to have acquired that over-keen, diagnostic, misanthropic eye, and to be able to look at people and things trustfully when one first sees them.” It is an ideology that Aditi Rao Hydari doesn’t need to be reminded of. At 34, the actor is wise in her determination to see the good in people. Her version of an ideal life includes being surrounded by “positive energy” and the one thing she values most in life: love.
“It takes courage to see the good in people,” she says. “Sometimes, it is important to be courageous, but also to be kind at the same time…and to dream and have the conviction to see it through.”
“I hope that I can always turn around a bad day and just make it happy for myself and everybody around me.”
Aditi and I are chatting on a Zoom screen, and through the hazy connection, I notice she is wearing a striking jacket, with a vivid graffiti pattern. I pay her a compliment and she raises her arms so I can get a closer look. “It’s lovely, no?” she says, “…it is by a designer called Shahin Mannan.”At the moment, Aditi is in Mumbai giving interviews for her latest film release on Netflix, The Girl On The Train. The psychological-thriller is based on the award-winning book by Paula Hawkins, in which she essays the role of a woman who is murdered under mysterious circumstances. “I really enjoyed playing this role,” she says excitedly, “because I knew we were dealing with very ‘hectic’ material here. I don’t think there’s a single non-hectic character or incident in the film, and I enjoyed the challenge!”
Over the next hour, our conversation roams the streets of several subjects: lessons from life and lockdown, a memorable piece of advice from actor Rekha, dreams and hopes… Aditi speaks about her childhood, how she grew up watching birds
