Today, Nimrat Kaur has carved out a special place for herself with projects in Bollywood and digital venues such as Airlift, The Test Case and Homeland. But how did Nimrat make her first major film The Lunchbox.
Here is what Nimrat Kaur shared:
1. How did you land your lunch box?
Director Ritesh Batra had seen some of my plays at the Prithvi Theater. Little did I know at the time that he had already seen some of my work. The cast director was heavily involved in pushing my name for the film. I met Ritesh. I was not tested for the part. I think Ritesh somewhere felt like I could bring something to the post. He had already written the other two parts for Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Ila was the part they heard far and wide. I feel sometimes, all your life, you work for so many things, and then suddenly from nowhere, something falls into your lap. The lunch box was one of those things. It is the most blessed opportunity that has ever come to me.
2. What do you remember about your first day on set?
The first day of shoeing was the scene at Church Gate Station where Irrfan was also shooting. I met him on the sets for the first time. It was a small situation. The whole burning of my rations was pretty quick. So the first day felt so intimate and just done by looking back, I can’t even believe what happened to the film and where it went. Since everything was so small, Irrfan was the biggest thing that happened to me that day. When I saw it physically, I realized that this is special.
3. Were you nervous?
Of course, my usual concern was walking on set for the first time as the character and whether I was making the right choice. However, it was a pretty smooth day as I had been so prepared and thought about the character for so long. So I wasn’t worried about playing that part. I was just embarrassed by the fact that it was my first day as Ila. That part was awful, but it was good to worry about.
4. How was the relationship with your constellations and your guide when you came to meet or work with them again later on?
Irrfan and I had no sights in the lunch box. I was just on the same set as him. I’m so blessed to have been in the same movie with him. As a man, I didn’t know him too well. However, I always enjoy the opportunity I got with the lunchbox.
Ritesh and I are still good friends so far. We keep in touch with him. Even our families have met at various venues and screens.
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5. If you get a chance to get back to your starting position, what would you like to change or do better?
Not a thing. I think The magic of The Lunchbox is that everything is exactly as it should be. Of course, I can take a look at my work and say I could have done this better, but I feel like the lunchbox is not such a project. I feel like he gets that holiness of everything working as it should, even in the inequalities. I will not change anything.
6. One film or career that inspired you to become an actor?
Mgr India. I have seen that film 25-35 times maybe.