Exclusive: Birthday Girl Nimrat Kaur Wants To Play Ranveer's Character In Gully Boy

Lunch Box actor Nimrat Kaur who is currently in the city of Fez in Morocco is all set to return to the final season of the Hollywood series Homeland where she will once again play the role of ISI Agent Tasneem Qureshi. People may mostly remember her as a the meek and enterprising housewife from Lunch Box but it was her role in the 2017 web series The Test Case for the ALTBalaji app that truly made her stand out from her contemporaries. Nimrat Kaur who celebrates her birthday on March 13 is in Fez, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities of Morocco where she will be joined by her sisters from New York and London to celebrate her birthday. She had a candid chat with Her Zindagi’s content head Megha Mamgain about her career, how she deals with online trolls, the fact that she wants to play Ranveer’s character in Gully Boy and more.

Nimrat’s Journey As An Actor

Nimrat started out as a print model and went on to work in theatre, web series and films such as Yahaan, Lunch Box, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana and Airlift. On her journey as an actor, here’s what she had to say: “I got Homeland straight after Lunch Box, did a show called Wayward Pines for Fox network followed by The Test Case. My experience working on The Test Case was extremely thrilling. I had a great time filming it. There are different challenges and levels of predictability with every platform. As an actor to put the story on film which spans about 4 ½ to 5 hours, you don’t have that luxury to tell the long form in films. It has been a really exciting last five years, different kinds of experiences I’ve had. I have to keep the ball up in the air in terms of interesting mix of mediums and content. I have been fortunate to have had a very interesting variety in my work.”

Nimrat On Being Unpredictable

The work trajectory that Nimrat followed was pretty unpredictable as she never took up the usual glam roles that Bollywood has to offer. But was it a conscious decision or planned moves that have shaped up her career? Apparently not. “I am as clueless as anyone else about what’s coming next for me. If I would have thought about how I should be as an actor, I wouldn’t have been an actor in the first place considering the place that I come from (not from a filmy background). I think it’s just an extension of who I am and how I’ve grown up. My choices are extremely organic and spontaneous. When I did test case I had no idea what the web world is like or what they are going to do with the series. The story spoke to me and I decided to do it” says Nimrat.

Is It Stressful To Ride The Wave Of Success? Not For Nimrat!

Nimrat may follow a busy schedule but doesn’t get too stressed about her success. “On the contrary I keep it easy; I don’t get stressed about what I must be doing next. I don’t want to repeat myself, that’s the only thing. Repetition is boring, that’s something I try to avoid. I don’t take stress about the fact that I have to do better than someone. I believe that if you don’t go down, you won’t come up. There’s enough stress to deal with in life anyway so I don’t take stress about these things”, she says.

I Don’t Validate Trolls, Says Nimrat

Speaking of stress in real life, the question turns to trolling. Remember the time when the totally fake news regarding Nimrat Kaur dating Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri broke out? Trolls had a field day talking on and on about their rumoured relationship but thankfully the fake news died out as Nimrat went on Twitter with a humorous status that cleared out things.

Fact: I may need a root canal. Fiction: Everything else I read about me today. More facts: Fiction can be more hurtful, monday blues exist and I love ice cream. Here’s to trash free happy days ahead✌🏼✨

— Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) September 3, 2018

So how does she deal with trolls, does she take them seriously at all? “Sometimes I feel like reacting to stuff, which is infuriating. It does really curdle your blood. It makes you wonder where the trolls come from, what kind of upbringing they have, whether they have a conscience or not. They are anonymously sitting behind their screens and typing away. They are looking for me to walk into that trap, giving them attention and validation. In my mind even to notice and validate such rogues is honestly a waste of energy and emotion. If I have to vent out I try to process it and talk to people close to me. I don’t validate them - whether it is gossip mongering, trash talking or shaming you for whatever they can find on you. There are bigger things in life that need attention and they are high on my priority. If you pay attention it fuels their fire, it is the world we live in. It is the by product of the ability to say anything and be read”, says Nimrat.

How Important Is It For Women To Travel?

An avid traveller, Nimrat counts Cape Town as the best place to vacation, adding that she has never loved going to a place more than it. As for shopping, she loves New York. “Travelling is a must for women. It allows you to put yourself out on your own and takes you away from the comfort zone. You become more alive when you travel. The more you externalise your journey, you sometimes end up going within. You think about things that you haven’t thought of before. It breaks old patterns. Maybe I am romanticising things like this but of course you don’t think of it when your luggage is stalled because the air space has been shut down in Pakistan. But these things open up a day for you”, she says.

Nimrat Fell In Love With Gully Boy

When she was asked about a recent film that she had watched and loved, Nimrat gushed about her love for Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy. “Oh my god, I wanted to play Ranveer Singh’s character. I love love love that film. Can’t get over it. I don’t think a better film has come out in the last few years. I can’t get over how amazing Ranveer Singh was in the film, everyone actually in that film”, says Nimrat. Could she match Ranveer’s rapping skills? "Not in this lifetime, these are dreams that we all have", she adds.

Don’t Miss This: Zoya Akhtar Talks On Physical Abuse In Hindi Films, Gully Boy Sequel And More!

Nimrat On The War Mongering Situation After Pulwama Attack

Nimrat who has played the role of a woman trying to enter combat role of Indian Army, lost her father, a young army major, after he was abducted and killed by Hizbul terrorists for not ceding to their demands. Here’s what she had to say about the war mongering situation that was created after the Pulwama Attack. “I don’t think anyone of us sitting at home can have an opinion on what the defence personnel should do when a country is at threat. I have suffered a personal loss, I come from that background. War is never an answer. We just lose lives on both sides. But at the same time, we can’t take things lying down. Self defence and protecting our country should be of highest priority right now. I feel whatever the army is doing is in their best judgement and ability, this is the need of the hour. Not opinions, not volatile comments not armchair commentary or commentary on Twitter. I feel all of that is immature and unnecessary.”

Recommended Video