Nikhil Dwivedi
He is a spontaneous actor who doesn’t like to take up just about anything that comes his way. Known as Bollywood’s emerging star, Nikhil Dwivedi, who debuted with My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves, is excited about his recent film Tamanchey opposite Richa Chaddha. He talks to SANGEETA YADAV about shooting for this quirky love story
‘Uncomfortable with bold scenes’
How is Tamanchey different from movies with a similar storylineIJ
We are used to watching love stories of good people in a bad world. Tamanchey is a quirky and intense love story of two bad people — Munna and Baboo.
How was the experience of playing a thiefIJ
Out of the six movies I have acted in so far, this has been my best performance. I am very choosy about the projects I take up. Munna’s character is flamboyant and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He is a petty criminal in love with Baboo who is also a thief. Their idea of dating and fun is to rob a bank! I was sold to this idea of romance with a twist.
Did playing a small-time thief pose any challengeIJ How did you prepare for the roleIJ
The only tough job was to get my UP bhaiya dialect in place. Everything else was a smooth sail. I mingled with a lot of people to get the speech right. In the process of shooting for this film, I have made many new friends.
There were rumours about a lot of interruptions while shooting for Tamanchey. Is it true and how did you deal with the delaysIJ
This film is all about hardships. Unfortunately, there were a lot of delays. First, I fractured my hand and we had to take a break for a few months. When I was ready to shoot, Richa broke her leg and had to undergo surgery. Again eight months of delay. The dates went haywire. But everyone was committed to the project and ensured that it finally happened.
How was the experience of working with Richa ChaddhaIJ
She is a thorough professional. Shooting a love-making scene in front of 70 crew members can be daunting and I was very nervous before we started shooting for this particular bit. But Richa was totally in her zone. Her confidence rubbed off on me too and we ended up giving perfect shots.
Is your wife Gauri Pandit okay with you doing bold scenesIJ
Definitely. She knows that it is just acting. My upbringing is such that I don’t believe in public display of affection. When we are out together in public, I never hug or hold her. So, when I have to do a bold scene, she knows that it makes me uncomfortable but it has to be done because the script demands it.
What was the most challenging part of the filmIJ
To play a criminal and still be endearing was a huge challenge. We hope that the viewers fall in love with Munna.
After your debut film My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves (2008), you did Khalbali: Fun Unlimited which didn’t release. What went wrongIJ
Khalbali... had all the ingredients to be a successful film and was scheduled to release on November 20, 2008. During that time, Mumbai attacks happened and we had to push the dates two weeks ahead. Then the partners of this film went into litigation and my film didn’t see the light of day.