Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 20, 2020)

Much before the Coronavirus crisis in India, actor Nushrat Bharucha, 34, put herself and her family under lockdown.

Bharucha, recalls, “When I heard about the cases in Delhi, I got paranoid and self-imposed the lockdown at our home from March 7.”

The actor was supposed to start shooting for Hurdang in March-end but that has been postponed, and so have her travel plans for her 35th birthday on May 17. “I was planning a trip with my family in May but that too stands cancelled,” she says.

While many celebrities have talked about the donations towards Covid-19 relief, Bharucha wants to maintain discretion and adds, “Talking about charity is too personal. I like to do it and keep it to myself. And those who talk about it are only doing so to inspire other people to donate.”

The actress, who wrote her first verses while on a flight a few years ago, recently overcome initial apprehensions to share her work with the world
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 11, 2020)

Almost a decade after becoming an actress, Nushrat Bharucha is ready to share another one of her talents with the world. On World Poetry Day last month, she posted one of her compositions on Instagram, “Tum jaisi aadat chhod bhi doon... Khud ko khote hue hi sahi...Jhooth ki aankh mein hans bhi doon...Sach pehchaante hue hi sahi... Saath hone ka ehsaas dila do agar... Woh nazar humaare naam kar do agar... Sab se churaate hue hi sahi... ”

Nushrat reveals that she has been writing for around three years now and has all the verses saved on her phone. “Initially, I didn’t know if they were any good, so I was wary of posting them. I am very sensitive and shy about my writing,” she says, admitting that it was the encouragement of her poet-friends, including Dream Girl co-actor Ayushmann Khurrana, that gave her the courage to put out some of her couplets online, starting with one on Valentine’s Day and another on Women’s Day. “My confidence is building up with each one,” she laughs.

The actress admits that she was nervous about audience reaction. “I know that shayaris speak only to a few people, that’s why I am taking baby steps,” says Nushrat, adding that she writes inbetween work. “My work requires me to travel a lot. Once, on a flight, everyone around was either reading or watching films and shows. That’s when I started writing. Strangely, all my poems have been written on flights.”

Her grandfather was a shayar and her aunt has inherited his talent, too. “Around three years ago, I made my aunt read some of my writings to get a book of hers so that I could improve my Urdu. I sat by a window, watching her, as she read them. She gave me the book without a comment on my work and my heart sank,” Nushrat reminisces, admitting that in retrospect, she realises it was a good move. “We’re close and if my aunt had said something, I wouldn’t have been able to find my own way and reach here today; she was my first audience.”

The actress is happy to be with her family during lockdown. She chats with her grandmother over coffee in the morning and naps post lunch. “That’s a family ritual, even my cat sleeps in the afternoon,” she chuckles. After that, it’s time to organise her cupboard. Sometimes, she has late-night conversations with her dadi about ghazals.

Nushrat is also honing another talent-colouring. “I can’t draw or paint, but I love colours. So, I’ve bought an adult colouring book. It helps me switch off while being creative. It’s a great way to combat stress as the colouring is intricate,” she informs, admitting that she couldn’t go to the gym in the evenings but has now started working out over video calls with her trainer.

Her next film, Chhalaang, was to release in March, so she hadn’t given dates to any other films in that period. “We were planning to shoot Hurdang in March, but seeing the Coronavirus spread, it was put on hold,” she recounts, adding that she decided early into the pandemic to not go outside Mumbai and consequently, had to let go of many offers.

Chhalaang reunites her with Rajkummar Rao; both started their careers with Love Sex Aur Dhokha (LSD). “After LSD, I was shooting for Pyaar Ka Punchnama in Delhi and Raj for another film. We promised each other that we’d work together again soon. When Chhalaang started, it felt surreal as it took us 10 years to live out our dream,” she signs off.

Vijay Varma raves about his Baaghi 3 co-star’s ninja-like disposition and reveals why he did Pink
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2020)

Hyderabad boy and FTII alumnus, Vijay Varma, entered films in 2012 with Bedabrata Pain’s Chittagong. Four years later, he was noticed as a well-connected brat in Shoojit Sircar’s Pink. With last year’s Gully Boy, in which he played friend-cum-benefactor to Ranveer Singh’s fledgling rapper Murad, the actor has hit his stride.

This year, he will be seen in the Tiger Shroff-fronted Baaghi 3. By Vijay’s estimate, it hasn’t been an easy ride. “Some of my films didn’t get a release and the ones that did, failed to work. How to survive that… they don’t teach you in school. It was a learning that required a lot of patience,” he sighs.

Describing his character in Baaghi 3 as “ambiguous, colourful, deceitful and funny”. “Akhtar Lahori helps Tiger’s Ronnie reunite with his brother (played by Riteish Deshmukh), but the role is written in a way that will make the audience wonder whose side he is on,” Vijay winks, going on to heap praises on his co-star’s almost ninja-like disposition. “While shooting in icy Serbia, we would be shivering even under multiple layers of clothes. But Tiger, like a Shaolin Master, was shirtless and doing stunts, not even seeking the warmth of heaters and blankets. We spoke at length about Jackie Shroff, the OG Gully Boy,” he gushes.

Vijay goes on to share that one of the biggest lessons he learnt on the job was that it pays to work with big names. “They can take care of you. I did Pink primarily for that reason, and it was the best decision I’ve taken”, he asserts.

Next up, the 33-year-old actor will be seen in the Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Kaushal-starrer Hurdang. “It’s a passionate love story against the backdrop of the Mandal Commission and set in the Uttar Pradesh hinterland. I play Loha Singh, a pretty extreme and nuanced part,” he shares.

Gully Boy breakout star Vijay shares his first look from Hurdang, a social drama set in ’90s
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 23, 2019)

A month into the shoot of Hurdang, actor Vijay Varma says he has eased into his character of Loha Singh. The college love story, which also features Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Kaushal, plays out against the backdrop of the Mandal Commission in the ’90s. To stay true to the milieu of the Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt-directed venture, Varma and designer Sheetal Sharma spent weeks zeroing in on his look.

“We arrived at the final look after many trials. We took references from many pictures from the late ’80s and early ’90s, which the team had gathered for mood boards,” says Varma, who will be seen wearing his hair long — as was the style in the ’90s — and sporting tinted sunglasses, another rage in the decade. “Sheetal and I worked closely to get the vibe of Loha Singh right. Power and leadership are his main traits, and we made sure they reflected in the styling.”

While Varma flaunted a barely-there moustache in his breakout film Gully Boy, he decided to grow it out to lend “gravitas” to his character in the social drama. “The moustache was an idea that I had to try, to make my character look intimidating.”

Smita Poojary (DNA; August 16, 2019)

Nushrat Bharucha is extremely happy with the response to the trailer of her upcoming movie, Dream Girl. The rom-com primarily revolves around Ayushamann Khurrana; but Nushrat says, “Though he is everybody’s dream girl in the film, I’m his. So, the whole story is about him trying to win me over and be with me while other people are trying to get to him.” The Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 actress chats with After Hrs about the kind of movies she was offered post-Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, her future projects and clears the air about being part of Luv Ranjan’s next project with Ranbir Kapoor and Ajay Devgn.

Ayushmann is the toast of B-Town right now. How was it working with him?
Oh, amazing! Even before both his films (Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho) came out, Dream Girl was locked. I had seen his early works and after watching his debut, Vicky Donor, I was amazed. He is just so natural and endearing without doing much on screen. Somehow, he does it with every character and it is refreshing to watch him. So, I wanted to work with him even before these two movies came out. He is extremely funny and is always up to something.

You have mainly played urban and stylish characters, and in this movie, you play a small-town girl next door. How was this change for you?
I have always got roles that are a little different from a regular heroine’s. At that time, nobody wanted to do them but I did. Now, writers and directors say that they have not seen me in simple, pretty girl-next-door characters, and want to give me such parts. I’m like, sure. Actually, more than me, people want to see me doing different things.

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety proved to be a game-changer for you. Did you find any difference in the kind of projects you were offered post the movie?
Yeah. I literally went on to play an anti-heroine. I think I have become a little more approachable for makers if they want to tell a different kind of a story. Maybe that’s why my three upcoming films are completely different from one another.

You are also working with Rajkummar Rao in Turram Khan...
Raj and I have been friends for years; we started together in LSD (Love Sex Aur Dhokha). It was like meeting an old friend and working together after so many years when we are at different points in our careers. We are wiser, calmer and both at a great place in life.

What made you do a special song with Sidharth Malhotra in Marjaavaan? Would you be doing more such numbers?
Music is my absolute weakness. Whenever I hear a song, in my head, I wish I could perform to it. We were at a party and the makers of the song said they were doing this track with the boys and looking for a girl and I said I would do it. If I like the songs, I’d be more than happy to do them in future.

There are rumours of you being part of Luv Ranjan’s next with Ranbir Kapoor and Ajay Devgn...
They are rumours. There are reports about every film that’s announced, but the truth can only come from the people making it.

What next in store for you?
After Dream Girl, you will see me in Turram Khan, after which I will be seen in Hurdang with Sunny Kaushal and Vijay Varma. It is a love story set in the ’90s, which will come out next year.

The duo’s love story plays out against the backdrop of caste-based reservations; actress has another film that opens a window to the life of students in Haryana
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2019)

On June 19, it was announced that Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Kaushal are teaming up for a love story titled Hurdang and the duo will start shooting from the first week of July. Now, Mirror has learnt that the film is set against the backdrop of the Mandal Commission agitation that rocked Delhi in the ’90s, and its impact on students. Confirming the news, Nushrat says, “Yes, the protagonists are leading a normal life when they are caught in the situation. Delhi had come to a standstill back then with students taking to the streets to fight against reservations based on caste.”

The ChaMandal Commission or the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC) was established on January 1, 1979 under then Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to “identify the socially or educationally backward classes of India”. Headed by the late BP Mandal, the Commission’s report recommended that members of Other Backward Classes (OBC) be granted reservations to 27 per cent of jobs under the central government and public sector undertakings, thus taking the total number of reservations for SC, ST and OBC to 49 per cent. Though the report was tabled in 1983, it was when VP Singh was the PM that the government declared its intention to implement the report in August 1990, leading to widespread student protests, with some cases of self-immolation too.

Prod Nushrat on the meaning of the film’s title and she explains that Hurdang means “raising your voice or causing a stir”, pointing out that in the film the stir is caused by asking questions that shake up one’s thought process and ideology. “Reservations in admission hit the future plans of the characters for a six because it leaves colleges with only a certain number of seats,” she explains.

After the Pyaar Ka Punchnama Franchise and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, this would be the first time Nushrat is doing a film set in a decade gone by. “But I have always been a ’90s kid in that I love to dance and listen to the songs from that time so I could easily connect with the story and character,” she smiles. “The love story is very different from the romance you saw in films back then which was one of the reasons to do the film. My character is the biggest rebel, she’s like a culture shock who’s found a perfect partner in Sunny’s character who lets her be the way she is. The purity of their love is that they can be who they are with each other.”

Last year, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety proved to be a game changer for Kartik Aaryan and Nushrat. Talking about life after the romcom, she says, “After SKTKS, I have the opportunity to do the kind of work I want to do. While after the Pyaar Ka Punchnama series, I was stereotyped as the nagging girlfriend, now, I am being offered different roles.”

Next up: Dream Girl, opposite Ayushmann Khurrana, a sweet and simple love story with a strong social message in the comic space. Then, Hansal Mehta’s Turram Khan with Rajkummar Rao that is a window to the life of students in Haryana.

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."

MUMBAI MIRROR (June 19, 2019)

After two star-studded upcoming projects—Mental Hai Kya and Jabariya Jodi, which are produced under his banner Karma Media and Entertainment, producer Shaailesh R Singh is all set to begin shooting for his next film— Hurdang.

Known for producing commercial as well as critically acclaimed films like Tanu Weds Manu, Shahid, Madaari, Aligarh among others, Shaailesh R Singh’s Hurdang is a love story inspired by true incidents set in 1990s Allahabad.

Giving an insight, director Nikhil Bhatt said, “This is a story inspired by true incidents. In the year 1990, as a kid, I saw thousands of youngsters getting involved in a fight for their rights. They fought for two whole years. They were angry on being taken for granted and for two years their lives came to a standstill. Every other day there was a bandh or a dharna. The students’ agitation was not politically motivated; they were fighting for their rights. Lots of lives were lost and lots of lives were rendered directionless. They say, love stories coming out of duress stand tall. Hurdang is a love story set in those times.”

The film, which will be shot entirely in Allahabad to preserve the authenticity of the story, is to be directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt. “I am very glad that I got an opportunity to direct this film. Hurdang is a hard-hitting subject that is sure to touch a chord with all,” reveals Nikhil Bhatt.

Hurdang stars Nushrat Bharucha, Sunny Kaushal and Vijay Varma, who recently made an impact in Gully Boy.

Speaking about the cast of the film, Shaailesh R Singh revealed, “It’s a young, restless love story from the 90s. People in 1990s were innocent and vulnerable. They didn’t have the advantage of technology the way youngsters have now. There was a deep desire to fight for your cause and claim your right. Sunny, Nushrat and Vijay fit in quite naturally. Sunny and Nushrat play students coming from different ideologies and backgrounds, but a couple destined to be together. They play childhood lovers who have grown up together. Both Sunny and Nushrat bring innocent and palpable energy, naturally into the story.”

Hurdang is all set to go on floors on July 1, 2019.