The Nimisha Sajayan Interview – Rediff.com movies

‘I was very sceptical when I was doing a Bollywood film.’

All Photographs: Kind courtesy Nimisha Sajayan/Instagram

“I’ve been auditioning since I was in Class 3-4. I used to go to Andheri (northwest Mumbai) in a bob cut but didn’t get any roles,” Nimisha Sajayan, who is getting a lot of love for her role in Babita Singh Reporting tells Divya Nair/Rediff.

The Mumbai-born actor, who dropped out of college and made her debut in Dilesh Pothan‘s Malayalam film Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum, has also starred in Hindi and Tamil films.

For her role as a cop in Babita Singh Reporting, Nimisha had to gain 14 kilos.

“When it went from 4,000 to 6,000 calories, I was like, I’m done. After a point it just became a nightmare,” the 29-year-old actor says in a candid telephonic conversation from Chennai, where she is shooting for her next.

Nimisha, congratulations on Babita Singh Reporting. I’m sure you’re getting a lot of good reviews. How did you land this role?

Thank you. I auditioned three-four times and then got selected.

What did you like about the script?

I got to read the entire script, and fell in love with the character. I was like, dude, I know that the character Babita is a little hefty, but I want to do this project. I remember calling my casting director and telling her, ‘Nikita (Grover), listen, I’m ready to gain weight.’

Didn’t you have any second thoughts?

No, no. I was in love.

What did you like about Babita?

She was very relatable. I think there’s a reflection of society, that harsh reality.

Was it also the patriarchy?

Yeah, and it’s very subtle.

Normally in movies, when people show it, they always feel that if there’s physical violence, then it’s domestic abuse.

Here, it’s very subtle. Even emotionally, it’s kind of abuse, right? I was drawn to the subtlety in the script.

IMAGE: With Priya Yadav and Sunita Rajwar who play her sister-in-law and mother-in-law in Babita Singh Reporting.

In the BTS (behind the scenes) pictures and videos you shared, you seem to have had a lot of fun on the sets…

It was anything but patriarchy on set.

The director is a female, the writer is a female, casting director is a female. There were a lot of females on set. It was a fun, beautiful set.

You gained 14 kilos for the role. What was the most difficult part about gaining weight?

I’m a foodie, but after a point I was like, I can’t do this.

Because when it went from 4,000 to 6,000 calories, I was like, I’m done. I was literally stuffing food after a point and it just became a nightmare.

During the weight gain, they appointed a set of people, like a nutritionist, dietitian and chef. So the chef used to call me in the morning, and ask, ‘What do you want to eat today?’

I would pick biryani, and he would cook that for me.

If I said I wanted South Indian food, he would make cook that.

The process seemed fun because I was getting to eat a lot of food. But in reality, it was difficult. I was literally stuffing food. I used to throw up.

IMAGE: Nimisha put on 14 kilos for her role in Babita Singh Reporting, going from 58 kg to 72 kg.

Though you made your debut with Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum in 2017, it was only after The Great Indian Kitchen in 2021, you became more mainstream. Do you feel the film was a turning point in your career?

100 percent! It all started with The Great Indian Kitchen, which got released on Prime Video. Then Poacher and Malik also released on Prime. Now, Babita Singh is also on Prime.

On Netflix, we saw Nayattu…

Yes. Nayattu also received a lot of love.

As an actor, does it bother you if you don’t get appreciated for a role you put your hard work in?

No. I just enjoy the process. Once you’re on set, you’re in front of the camera… that’s something I really enjoy. Later, I don’t know, it doesn’t affect me. If I’m getting love, I’m happy.

Do you think after COVID, thanks to OTT, a large number of audiences are able to see and appreciate good talent without even being able to go to the theatres?

Yes. OTT reaches a larger audience. As a filmmaker, as an actor, all we want is that our work should reach the larger audience. Through OTT, it helps. It travels beyond languages, and cities.

IMAGE: On the sets of Poacher.

What excites you about a role?

After reading a script, if I feel the character stays with me, it’s a big yes for me.

How do you prepare yourself ahead of a film?

I don’t have a set process that I follow. It depends on the director too. I have worked with directors who are like, you have to follow the script. There are also directors who are like, ‘This is your space, Nimisha, just explore.’

There are directors who have the clarity of what they want. So once you’re on set, they’ll come and brief you.

It’s different for each project.

Is there an actor or director who has really pushed you out of your comfort zone?

The pushing is done by the character, not the director.

If I have to talk about directors, I think every director pushes you a little. For me, it was Dileesh Pothan sir.

Because it was my first film, I had no idea what’s happening. Whatever I am today as an actor, I owe it to him. He was my first university, that’s where everything started. Also, Rajeev Ravi.

IMAGE: Nimisha in Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum.

What do you tell yourself before going on a set?

I don’t prep. I just go. I think whatever comes… If it’s organic, it works. (If) I’m not that person, it doesn’t work for me.

It’s something I learned from my first film.

Is there acting advice that has helped you?

Dileesh chettan told me, ‘Thaan thaan aayi irinna mathi, natural cheyitha madhi abhinayikenda (Be yourself, be natural, don’t act, just respond).’

I think it stayed with me all these years.

Among the films you have worked on, which ones are closest to your heart?

Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum because it’s my first and very close to me.

Nayattu because of the politics they’re trying to convey in the film. It’s one of my personal favourites.

For The Great Indian Kitchen, there are thousands of reasons. We just fell in love with that project.

And I just love Baby.

Apart from these, there is Malik, Chitta, Poacher, Dabba Cartel…(laughs and goes on to list all her films).

In an age when actors are so self-conscious, and undergo so many surgeries, you are among the few artistes who has embraced yourself with authenticity.
Do you think audiences have changed in terms of how they perceive an actor?

Oh, 100 percent. I was very sceptical when I was doing a Bollywood film. I wasn’t sure what kind of acceptance I will get. But the kind of love that I have received after Dabba Cartel, I’m like, wow, it’s changing.

You were so much fun to watch in Dabba Cartel. We saw a completely different side of you.

That’s closer to me. The chulbuliness is very close to me.

So what is Nimisha like in real life?

It’s nothing like that you see on screen.

She is not serious.

You should ask people who have worked with me.

Baby (Babita Singh Reporting) is very calm and composed. People tease her. I’m not that person. I am more fun.

Are you a foodie?

I grew up in Mumbai so I’m a vada pav fan. I just love vada pav.

IMAGE: Nimisha with actors Amruta Subhash, Tillotama Shome and Konkona Sen Sharma.

Among the new films and actors, whose work has inspired you recently?

I recently watched Balan and fell in love.

In terms of actors, I’m a huge Fahadh Faasil fan. Like a huge, huge fan!

I like Rasika Dugal, Tillotama (Shome)… Tillotama is magic on screen.

Then there’s Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi…he’s so much at ease.

I did a project with Adil Hussain; he’s a brilliant actor.

Is there a director or an actor you aspire to work with?

So many! I want to work with Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Hansal Mehta…

I want to work with more female directors.

And why so?

Because the perspective is very different. The way a female director or writer approaches an emotional scene is very different. I think if Baby was directed by a male director, it would have been very different.

The female gaze is different. There’s an understanding that comes when you work with a female director.

We are talking as women. We have this thing, you know, if I’m feeling this, they’re like, ‘I know.’ If there’s a male opposite me, they’re like, ‘What’s going on? Tell me.’

What are you working on next?

My Tamil film Enna Vilai is releasing this month. Then there’s Legacy, a series with R Madhavan. Then, there are two more interesting projects.

How was it working with Madhavan?

He’s brilliant, amazing, and incredible as an actor.

When people came to know there is Madhavan, everyone on the set were like, ‘Ayyo, Appa, Madhavan… I was like, yeah, so?’

Did you have a crush on him or any actor?

No, no, no. I never had a crush on Madhavan or any actor. Though I must admit I’m a huge admirer of Fahadh Faasil.

IMAGE: Nimisha Sajayan.

Why did you want to be an actor?

I don’t know. I just wanted to be an actor. It’s like when you ask someone, why do you want to be a teacher? They’re like, I just want to be one.

What was your childhood like?

I grew up watching a lot of films.

At home, my family mostly watched Malayalam films.

When you told your parents that you wanted to be an actor, who was the one who supported you the most?

My mom. But everyone was very supportive at home.

My family was like, ‘After Class 12, it’s your life. You do whatever you want to do.’ They never forced me to do anything.

What is the best compliment you’ve got?

That you were very relatable, we felt you, what you are going through.