Why 'Knowing Your Audience' Is at the Heart of Lara Dutta's Transition From Star to Entrepreneur

Lara Dutta is one of the most adored actresses in the industry. From winning the Miss Universe crown in 2000 to making her mark in Hindi cinema with films like Andaaz, No Entry, Partner and Housefull, she found her space by balancing glamour with substance, an approach that shaped a successful and lasting career in Indian cinema. In the past couple of years, that same instinct has served Lara well in her transition into entrepreneurship. She has been quietly working on creating Arias, a home-grown lifestyle brand that demonstrates her unique brand of creativity and style.

Her newest endeavour, launching an eyewear line in collaboration with Shisen Fox, is an add on to her career. Eyewear to Lara is more than just an accessory, it is personal to her, functional and a true depiction of who she is.

"When we were first looking to align ourselves with an eyewear partner and Shisen Fox came our way, what really excited me was the amount of detail that went into creating a pair of glasses," she says. "It wasn't looked at as just an accessory, but as an extension of oneself."

Lara says that she was involved on all aspects of the design process and that the end results were aesthetically appealing and practical for Indian customers. "What I loved was the amalgamation of Japanese technology with designs made specifically for Indian features," she explains. "These are glasses that sit comfortably on the bridge of our nose and don't keep sliding down."

In addition to fit, the collection emphasizes versatility. Consumers may select from a variety of options, including sunglasses, prescription eyewear, progressive lenses, tinted options and interchangeable styles. The collection encourages consumers to have fun with eyewear selection, much like the way they have fun with fashion. "The idea was to create a collection that allows you to play with your eyewear depending on your mood," Lara says. "Something iconic, elegant, classic and stylish, but also affordable."

When the new eyewear line launches, it represents yet another example of the company's growth and evolving business model. Arias has consistently transformed itself from a company focused on beauty to one that now encompasses a wide variety of different lifestyle product categories, including beauty, skincare, fragrance, kids' clothing, home and now, eyewear. "We want to grow Arise consistently over the next few years," Lara shares. "We've been fortunate to strike the right note with our consumers, and over the next quarter we're looking at adding three to four more verticals as well."

Speaking further about eyewear markets becoming one of the fastest growing ones, the Partner actress says, "There was a time when people in India owned just one pair of sunglasses. Today, people have 20 pairs of jeans, 20 pairs of sneakers, and now they're building eyewear wardrobes too. It's one of the few accessories you wear on your face. It changes your entire look and personality."

Lara Dutta credits her experience in the film industry to understand how customers think and behave. "The biggest lesson I've carried over is: know your audience," she says. "When you make a film, you make it for a specific audience and stay true to them. Entrepreneurship is exactly the same. Once you identify who you're creating for, you need to remain authentic and honest. That's how you build something that truly meets expectations."

Authenticity, she adds, has become non-negotiable for celebrity-led brands today. "For me, authenticity means dependability and quality," Lara says. "If you pick up any Arias product across any vertical, you know you're buying something of the best quality possible, something that will last and elevate your own expression."

As we all already know, Lara is currently juggling between films, OTT projects as well as handling her family and business, speaking about how she manages wearing all these hats together, she credits everything to discipline. "My days are usually about 25 hours packed into 24," she laughs. "But if your priorities are clear, it is possible to get it all done."

For women entrepreneurs looking to enter the lifestyle or beauty space, her advice is refreshingly straightforward: do the homework. "Know your customer deeply," she says. "Understand their psyche, their needs, their wants. Once you truly get that right, everything else falls into place."

After two decades of wearing the crown and entertaining us with multiple outstanding performances, Lara Dutta continues to reinvent her title over the years. As the brand's founder, creator and entrepreneur, the actress has created a unique brand of eyewear that not only looks good but appeals directly to her consumers.