It’s a balmy Saturday morning when I meet with Tara Sutaria ahead of our cover shoot on the private beach of The St. Regis Goa Resort. The soothing sound of the waves reverberate, while the briny Goa winds whirl around us, tinting the sky a turquoise blue. “Right now, I am a beach person. I am taking a trip to the Maldives soon,” Tara tells me. Her voice lilts up and down with every word. “I must add I do love the mountains too, and Italy has been on my bucket list for the longest time,” she adds as a way of explanation.
Soon, the sweltering subequatorial heat makes its presence felt. Tara, although dressed in an ornate lehenga and diamonds, is cool, collected and composed. Within minutes, the star with an angelic face transforms into a sensual, sexy bride. Her hair is tousled in Olsen-influenced beach waves and barely-there makeup to match. “I am a 90s kid and absolutely love the style from that era. Beauty wise, I love the nude makeup trend or even how I wear my hair. Whether that is the mini bag trend, mules, high waist mom jeans, denim on denim, big blowout or that cult Racheal hairstyle, I follow trends from the 90s on a daily basis,” she reveals.
I got it from my mum
“Comfort is key,” Tara quips, referring to her affinity for lightweight occasion wear pieces. Like most of us, vanity for the actor began at home, who reveals she is guilty of pillaging her nani, mom and sister’s closets. “My mom and nani have really exquisite taste. So, I am very lucky that my twin sister Pia and I have access to some beautiful pieces of jewellery and saris from the 70s and 80s. I have been borrowing them since I was a kid.”
Vintage jewellery is also Tara’s guilty pleasure. “I am really feminine that way. And at this stage in my life, collecting vintage jewellery when I travel is priority. I also love all things beauty,” she avers. The revelation hardly comes as a surprise to me because Tara is a self-confessed beauty enthusiast and has been the face of Bobbi Brown in India for over four years now. “I am so happy to have been associated with Bobbi Brown. I love the brand’s idea of beauty and how they stand for natural beauty. Over and above their formulations, what I love most about Bobbi Brown products is that they are multipurpose. For instance, their lipsticks are so creamy and soft that they work on my cheeks as a tint. I love their oil-infused glosses too.”
The actor swears by Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. “It glides on so smoothly and makes me feel like I have a baby face. That’s the only product I really use before makeup and as skincare at night. I feel home remedies like a salve of dahi, haldi or a little bit of lemon can also go a long way.” She doesn’t stop reasserting the importance of staying hydrated. “Listen to your skin and hydrate yourself. Until recently, I didn’t drink a lot of water and didn’t realise the impact that that had on my skin. But I am now keeping a conscious effort to drink enough water or keep having liquids like green tea. I set reminders so I don’t forget.”
Cooking up a storm
The actor waxes eloquent about kitchen aids because she finds solace in cooking. “When I am not filming, I am always home. I am a homebody and still very much an introvert. I love cooking for friends and family and listening to good music. At the moment, I am rehearsing for a concert that I have coming up,” she discloses to me. Tara began her career as professional singer with a music show and was also featured in Disney India’s ‘Big Bada Boom’ (2007-2008). She even lent her voice as a playback singer for her 2022 action thriller film, ‘Ek Villain Returns’.
Tara is currently looking forward to her next film ‘Apurva’. “It’s a survival story about a girl, and I’m playing the solo lead in the film. We shot for about two months in Udaipur and Jaisalmer, and it was extremely gruelling. But I watched the film recently and I am so incredibly proud of the outcome and most importantly, being able to tell this girl’s story. And we have got an incredible cast. I can’t wait to share details about it very soon.” From playing the girl next door in her debut ‘Student Of The Year 2’ to her never-seen-before avatar in her upcoming edge-of-the-seat thriller ‘Apurva’, Tara has come a long way.
Wedding belle
Sure, all her roles are likely to stay with you, but behind this glamorous and beautiful persona is a person who is extremely family- and house-proud. “Since I am a very private and introverted person, my wedding is likely to be intimate and personal. Of course, it will be a reflection of how I feel at that time in my life and it will be about things my partner and I love. But a small wedding is what I would prefer in a picturesque place, with a big party to follow up,” Tara says, envisioning her big day.
When I inquire, what brief would she give to her wedding planner, she cites, “I love doing up spaces, so I would love to be completely involved with the décor and the setting. That would be the case for my bridal wear too. When I was a singer, I would design my on-stage outfits all the time. If and when I do get married, I would like to design and personalise the bridal outfit that I wear for whatever the functions maybe, whenever that happens and at whatever stage of my life.”
Wardrobe: Mishru
Jewellery: Akoya Jewels
Editor-in-chief: Sonia Ullah
Photographer: Rohan Shrestha
Creative Director: Manni Sahota
Fashion Editor: Vikas Rattu
Fashion Stylist: Tanishq Malhotra
Makeup: Shraddha Inder Mehta
Hair: Twinkle Kanchanlal Dhariya
Assistant: Bhavya Jain
Location: St. Regis Goa Resort
Production: April Studios