Nushrat Bharucha on why her next, based on Mandal Commission agitation, finds resonance today
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 12, 2019)

"Cinema has the scope to tell versatile stories," starts off Nushrat Bharucha, proud that her next project, Hurdang, tackles a brave subject. Even though the Sunny Singh and Vijay Varma starrer is a love story at heart, the drama also shines a spotlight on the caste reservation system and its impact on students.

"It's a love story set against the backdrop of the Mandal Commission [agitation] in the '90s. Students took to the streets rebelling against [the report], raising pertinent points and asking the right questions. The reservation system is still being debated, thus making this film relevant even today," says Bharucha, who plays a college student, Jhullan, in the Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt-directed venture.

Slipping into the part of Jhullan, she says, comes naturally to her as she identifies with her struggles and her courage in the face of adversity. "I have always broken moulds as a person. I come from a Bohri Muslim family and am the only child. I have waged many personal battles to get where I am today. So, I get Jhullan to the T. She feels like an extension of me."

Before she kicked off the Prayagraj schedule a fortnight ago, the actor reveals that she spent considerable time with the girls of Allahabad University to gain a better understanding of college life. "Interacting with the students also helped me ace the diction. They helped me discover what college is all about."