We know Malala Yusafzai’s philanthropic side well — but do we know her Bollywood preferences?
We do now!
And it turns out the young activist has a soft spot for Shah Rukh Khan.
“I think Shah Rukh Khan possesses some kind of a Midas touch. Whatever he does is absolutely perfect. I love all the films that I have seen of him, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge being an all-time favourite,” shared Malala in an interview with Times of India.
Malala candidly answered questions that revealed a different side to the girl we know well: that she too loves Indian soaps just live an average desi girl. “I used to watch all serials and loved them when I was in the Swat region,” she said. “But in the UK, there’s no time to follow serials. I feast on movies whenever I can. Back then, I used to enjoy dramas and cried along with the actors.”
What about more recent flicks?
Malala enjoyed watching Deepika Padukone-Irrfan Khan starrer Piku: “When I watched Piku. The toilet humour was just too much. I’m laughing even thinking about it.”
But Piku wasn’t the last film she watched: “The last movie I loved was Bajrangi Bhaijaan. I clapped non-stop when the film was over,” she said.
She explained that the reason she watches Bollywood films is the relatable content: “I relate to Indian culture the most — from food to clothes — everything is quite similar but more stylish and grand.”
Filling us in about her sartorial choices, Malala said that she was a fan of shawls and whilst she likes pink, she chooses to wear red because her parents believe it suits her: “I have a few Indian suits that I wear on occasions. I love draping shawls. The way I put it on my head is the way girls in the Swat region wear their shawls. I have about 12 shades that I like to mix and match.”
A lover of spicy food, Malala is also conscious about her health and knows when she has to cut down on rice: “In the UK, I crave spicy Indian and Pakistani curries. I love rice too though I have to cut down on my rice consumption. My best dish of all time is Pakistani Biryani with Indian curry.”
Although she doesn’t know how to cook yet, she says her mother wants her to learn the basics so she can look after herself when she heads away for university.
Although her favourite cricket player is Shahid Afridi she says she’s a fan of Sachin Tendulkar too. She also spilled the beans on what it’s like to deal with her two younger brothers at home: “My younger brother, 10, told me I may have won the Nobel Peace Prize, but at home I dare not behave like the boss.”
