Exclusive: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sreenivas Talk ‘Chatrapathi,’ Women In Films, Pan India Releases And More
Catch all the insights here!
Actors Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sreenivas Bellamkonda have finally graced the big screen with the release of Chatrapathi. For the biggest release, the actors sat down with me for an exclusive conversation around the remake of the blockbuster 2005 Prabhas film. From film set gossips to speaking about the changing spots for women in films and behind the camera, the actors get candid about films, fashion and more.
Q: How difficult was it for you to fill the shoes of Prabhas. What are the things that you were most scared about? And considering this is your debut Bollywood film, what were you the most nervous about?
Sreenivas Bellamkonda: Before starting the film, I felt it was somewhere challenging. But once I met Prabhas and when I told him, he was the one who gave me the confidence. Because he had seen my previous films, he was like “yes, you can pull it off.” When he gave me the confidence that you can pull off this one and it’s a good choice that you’re making this script now it’ll be a wonderful film, and everybody’s gonna love it. I was then I became confident. And I was lucky I had a fantastic diction teacher called Nushratt Bharuccha. She has thoroughly helped me throughout the process of the film, and it was easier when you have good teachers on set.
View this post on Instagram
Q: What attracted you the most towards the project?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: The fact that it was Rajamouli sir’s film and it had Prabhas in it and it was their very big hit when it had come. That honestly is one of the reasons why I said yes. Then I met his (Sreenivas) dad, who I think is the sweetest person that you could come across. And I don’t know anybody from the south industry. I don’t have any contacts. I don’t know anyone. So he came and he just said one thing.
So, his father was very adamant that I do this film and that it was his launch here and that the film was this whole commercial film, and I had seen Baahubali and it was the ongoing mood of the industry. And the fact that this film came and I liked the fact that it was a film that came out long back that even I could not find and see and didn’t know. And I still haven’t seen the original, so I don’t know what the film is. So we approach it as a new film.
View this post on Instagram
Q: Which iconic remake would you want to be a part of?
Sreenivas Bellamkonda: Dhoom 2
Nushrratt Bharuccha: I don’t know if I am a remake kind of person. I feel like let’s not go back and do that. I personally don’t like it. I always used to tell Satish Kaushik sir that Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro should be made again, but not as a remake, as just something in that same flavour. With the new story, this thing should be made again because nobody’s made that kind of a film. But I’m not somebody who would want to do remakes.
View this post on Instagram
Q: How do you think the industry is making space for more women both in front and behind the camera?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: There’s of course, a very, very big change. Like I said even at the Filmfare awards, there’s Alia nominated for Best Actress and then there’s Tabu ma’am nominated for Best Actress. There’s Anupam Kher nominated for Best Actor, and there’s Varun Dhawan nominated for Best Actor. The age gap between the two is vast but they’re still in the same category. For a female actor to have that today in her 20s or 30s is a big feat. Actually yesterday only, Sreenivas told me that there is no age bar anymore. If you have content and if you are making good content and you’re part of good content, you will constantly be relevant till whatever 60 or 70.
I feel content is the king today. It has all changed today because people are writing more scripts for females. And people are backing it. Producers are making it, and honestly, audiences are watching it. The fact that y’all are watching it and the audience has opened up is a big change for women in the industry.
View this post on Instagram
Q: Your filmography looks like a good mix between OTT and theatrical releases. What do you see in a project before signing it?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: If a certain kind of film works, then you get 10 more people making the same kind of film. It is like a bandwagon effect. So, I think it’s the story that connects to something you’ve not heard of, not seen before. Like I remember Dream Girl, was one of the first films literally where there was no manager involved. There was no going home and thinking about it. Raj sir was narrating the story to me, and I laughed throughout.
I am my own audience at that point. Thankfully I have not reached a stage where I am thinking, “Oh, these are my fans, this is my audience. Will they be able to accept this film that I’m doing.” When I reach that point, then my choices become very restrictive. Then I’m not doing a film for me or my sensibilities.
Sreenivas Bellamkonda: You know when I came to this industry before, I observed this one thing. When it comes to my story, let it be small or big or anything, I would take the call of doing the film or not. Because I know what kind of cinema to make. When I came here, I saw there were a lot of agencies getting involved before even the actors listen to the story. So, they’ll have different kinds of opinions when it comes to content. Like she heard Dream Girl. She knows that she can pull it off and she who knows that this film’s gonna work because she knows it. She knows better than anyone. When 20 people are hearing a story and they filter them and give it to the main actor, it is a tough call to take.
View this post on Instagram
Actors switch roles and answer for each other
Q: What would be a regular thing in Nushrat/Sreenivas’ tiffins on sets?
Sreenivas Bellamkonda: I think Chia Pudding. Like pudding because I see her eating veery healthy. I’ve seen her always having clean food in the morning.
Nushrratt Bharuccha: He gets up and eats a lot of almonds and drinks a lot of water.
View this post on Instagram
Q: If not an actor, which profession would best suit your host?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: If I’m Sreenivas, the best other thing that would suit me is being a producer. Not because his dad is one, but because he’s got a great sense of it or he’ll be in real estate, which he already is.
Sreenivas Bellamkonda: She’s right. Because in two or three years I want to get into production. So that’s a great answer. I think she can become a director. She has that view point. If I see it from the another perspective, I think she can be a nice event manager or an organiser. I mean, she can organise things and she can manage people. She is very good at it.
Also Read: “Expecting Same Pay As The Hero Is Not Possible”: Nushrratt Bharuccha On Pay Disparity In Bollywood
Q: You mentioned about your family bombarding you with prospective matches for marriage, like any other Indian girl in her late 20s and 30s. How do you deal with it?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: Don’t shoo the rishtas away. Because the more you oppose your parents, the more they will pressurise you. Go to restaurants, eat and come home saying “kuchh samajh nahi aya.” They cannot force you to get married to somebody you don’t like. So, that’s the hack.
View this post on Instagram
Q: Who are the women who inspire your personal sense of style?
Nushrratt Bharuccha: I have these really close friends who are great stylists actually and they style a lot for ads. I look up to them a lot. I think even Kareena is superb when she dresses. Deepika, Alia, all of them. They all are really setting very different style statements. Some of them are so easy. Even on the eye you feel like you could wear this all day and they still look stunning. So, these people.
First Published: May 12, 2023 7:29 PMNushrratt Bharuccha’s Pearly White Lehenga Is Perfect For A Summer Wedding
