Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; December 18, 2018)

Three years ago, Athiya Shetty was launched by Salman Khan in Hero. Since then, she has acted in only one film Mubarakan (2017). Now, after lying low for some time, the star kid will be seen in Motichoor Chaknachoor where she is paired opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The leggy lass tells After Hrs what prompted her to sign a comedy film again and on sharing screen space with the multi-talented Nawaz. Excerpts…

What has been your biggest takeaway while shooting for this movie? 
It was the best experience of my life. Some films just change you and this was one of them. I not only grew as a person but also as an actor. The role demanded a different energy, which helped me a great deal to become more confident about myself. I borrowed my character’s traits because I fell in love with who I was portraying. Though it was a tough role, there was a sense of ease that I’ve never felt in the past. I enjoyed all of those 16-hour days.

This will be your third film since you made your debut in 2015. Was it a a deliberate attempt on your part to take things slowly?
It wasn’t a conscious decision. I didn’t like the films that were offered to me. I loved this one as I knew it would challenge me as an actor. And I needed to be challenged.

What are the factors that you keep in mind while choosing a film? 
The script. And then the director. In the case of Motichoor Chaknachoor, I followed my instinct. I heard the script and there wasn’t any reason to say no. There was an immediate sense of excitement and nervousness. I was petrified. And sometimes you do things because it’s like taking a leap of faith. Moreover, the film was set in Bhopal and I had to speak Bundelkhandi, which was challenging, too.

This will be your second comedy after Mubarakan. Do you think it’s a tough genre?
It’s my favourite genre. I enjoy it so much. It is extremely tough, but when you’re performing, you can’t approach it like a comedy. Everything lies in the text, you just have to be honest to your character and dialogues.

Were you under a lot of pressure while working with Nawazuddin? 
He is an absolute genius. And he doesn’t even know it, which is the best part. He makes you extremely confident as an actor. I have learnt a great deal by just observing his method.

This is quite an unconventional pairing... 
That’s the beauty of the script and the two characters. We are ‘unconventional’ but it makes perfect sense once you watch the film.

Were you apprehensive that this will be perceived as a not-so commercial film, given that Nawaz plays the titular character? 
No! No other actor can determine your outcome. It’s your hard work, and how honestly you’ve portrayed your character.