In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Neha talks about her journey, her little world with husband Amitosh Nagpal and her experience with her co-stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Karthik AryanRajpal Yadav and Vijay Raaz,
Kathal is receiving good reviews from the critics and audience alike.
It feels good when your work gets good reviews. It’s always nice to be a part of a film that tells a lot with a lot of entertainment.
How did people react to your performance?
It’s been good About 70-80% women in our country do household chores and work outside without any complaint. And, Kunti has only one role. So, I am very fortunate that I got this role where I got to show a glimpse of other women who deal with all these things.
Guneet Monga is one of the producers of the film. did you meet him
We were together on the set and Guneet was with us for a long time. And, we were together when we premiered. She is a very good producer, and she always takes care of the smallest and biggest members. She treats everyone very well. This is a very good quality. After the premiere, we had a small party at Ekta Kapoor’s house and she is very happy. We had a lot of fun and we all touched the Oscar trophy. Everyone aspires to win an Oscar one day. And, Guneet is very cute.
Are awards important to you?
No, awards don’t mean much to me. But yes, when you win an award, you feel good. But actually I come from a very small place. From a small town girl to the big city, with a lot of ups and downs, is a reward in itself for me. Maybe getting an award is a completely different experience, but I am enjoying the journey. I am very lucky and grateful that I am getting a chance to be a part of such work.
Did you face any difficulties when you first came to Mumbai?
Not like this. I am from NSD, so we have seniors and juniors. So, you get a special kind of family. There are lots of theater people, so you don’t feel lonely. But obviously, it doesn’t matter that you have families here, even if you were born here, you have your own personal struggles. But, I am very lucky.
You made your debut in wrestling, but that film did not reach many people. Did people in the industry treat you differently after that?
You start with small things. You hope something happens. It is part of everyone’s life. But already I was doing a lot of theatre. I was doing Aao Saathi Sapna Dekhne with Swanand Kirkire, Poha Gone Rong with Makarand Deshpande, Piya Bahrupiya with Atul Kumar. As an actor, I have never felt that empty space. I was always on stage and interacting with the audience. That’s why I never felt that way.
So how did you meet your husband Amitosh Nagpal in the midst of all this?
Amitosh from NSD is one year junior to me. He is a resident of Karnal. I am from jabalpur, mp. We met at another place. From there we became friends. In fact, we were very close friends and we remain friends no matter what tag comes our way. He is an actor and a writer. He has written many movies and songs. He is also a theater director. And we also have our own production house. So it’s our little world.
What is needed for a healthy relationship?
For a healthy relationship, you have to fight first (laughs). How do you hang out with your friends? You fight, you nag each other on certain things. Sometimes you go against each other, sometimes you go with them. You have to fight, love each other, listen to each other. These are the things that I find essential. Sirf pyaar pyaar pyaar a little bit more sweet, won’t it get messed up (laughs).
So are you planning any project under your production house?
Yes, we are planning some short films. We also have theater productions. We are also directing two more plays. We also do small things for the children. Children need a circle, a place to play and make friends away from mobile phones and gadgets.
You don’t have any film background.
I am the only girl in my family who has come to a faraway place. We are a very traditional family. That’s why I am saying that I feel like I have won an award every day.
Where did you get the inspiration to do this?
I have been on stage since childhood. I was probably 3-4 years old when I started singing and dancing. I have a special interest in folk songs. I have always been ahead in cultural activities. I’ve always loved being on stage. I love to receive the attention and appreciation of the audience. I was performing in college. I was in a competition and one of the judges asked me, ‘Why don’t you try for NSD?’ I didn’t know anything about NSD. So he asked me to join a theater group. Rehearsals used to happen late in the evening. My father was a little worried but he finally gave me permission. After graduation, I was sitting with 2-3 artistes from the same group and they were filling up forms for NSD. One of them said, ‘I am not ready for NSD yet’ and asked if anyone wanted to fill it. And I just said, ‘Okay, I’ll fill it in.’ And luckily, I got selected in 4-5 rounds of interview. This was a big deal as they were only taking 20 people from across the country at that time. From there, I had a clear direction, I was enjoying it and I decided that’s what I was going to do.
You started your career in 2007. Have you ever had a loss in your life?
Action, reaction and rejection are all connected in our lives. Sometimes you feel low when you get rejected. I don’t want to say less, but I want to call it an experience. I don’t want to see it as something dark. It is a part of my journey and I am sure it will come in handy as an actor. I don’t know whether I will be successful or not. I love my work. I could never think of it that way. Maybe, because of the theatre, it seems that my wish is being fulfilled.
So you basically love what you are doing now…
You won’t believe me, but I love auditioning. When I started working, people used to make fun of me. But I really enjoy it. I am not tired of auditioning. It is a different kind of pleasure.
What is your parameter for success?
Success is when you are happy with yourself. If you are not enjoying yourself, if you are not happy with your work, then it doesn’t make any sense. If you’re enjoying what you’re doing, that’s what success is to me.
How was your experience with Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Kartik Aaryan?
I have worked with Vijay in three films. He is such a great actor. You can learn a lot from his company. He is very comfortable. He doesn’t look stressed. He is happy on the sets only. It is very pleasant and interesting to watch him as an actor. His every scene, every take is different.
Along with Rajpal, he is a gem. I will never forget my first film. It was 48-49 degrees. This was the last scene of the wrestling match. Without slippers, we could not even step on the sand, but still he gave that shot. Even in Kathal, his dedication was still the same. He was wearing a wig and was literally sweating like a glass of water. it was very hot. But there was no wrinkle on his face. This kind of dedication is not seen.
With Ayushmann and Kartik, I would say the current actors are very friendly to work with. He introduced himself, we laughed and talked. I never felt like I was interacting with a star. He never differentiated between actors and joined everyone. There is no trace of stardom in either of them.