Nushrat Bharucha discusses post-lockdown plans on 35th b’day
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 19, 2020)

On Sunday, Nushrat Bharucha brought in her 35th birthday amidst the lockdown. “I sat by my window in pyjamas with my cat and plants for almost four hours and enjoyed every minute of it. It was different but peaceful,” says the actress, who normally rings in her special day doing “things I love with people I love”. Then, Nushrat being Nushrat, got her close friends on a video call and they watched her dance for two hours before calling it a night. “After that, my mom and my cat joined in, and we danced till 4 am,” she laughs.

Along with two birthday cakes and her mother’s special pulao, Nushrat received a video message from her family and industry friends, including Varun Dhawan and Ayushmann Khurrana, his wife Tahira Kashyap and brother Aparshakti Khurana. “I had no clue all this was happening behind my back. I shot the video of my parents and thought my family was planning a birthday video. I was so surprised, I had to watch it again to be able to react to it,” she admits.

Ask the actress how she sees the rest of the year panning out, and Nushrat is clueless again.

“The Coronavirus pandemic has created a deep-rooted fear in all of us, and as much as I’d like for things to go back to normal, the situation is too unpredictable to think about anything,” she reasons, pointing out that her make-up artist has moved to dubbing and a friend who used to work in a beauty parlour has started a dabba service in order to stay on top of bills.

Any alternative job for her? “I haven’t thought about it, but I should. And there is a big difference in what I want to do and what I can do in this situation,” she avers. So, what will she do once the lockdown ends? Nushrat, who can’t even imagine going out, quips, “I think I’ll probably still be at home, poring over the guidelines. Even if someone tells me I can go somewhere now, I don’t think I’ll be able to.”

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; May 17, 2018)

Her happiness is infectious even over the phone! Nushrat Bharucha, who has been a part of one of the biggest blockbusters — Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety — this year, is on a high. “Oh yeah! I am already tripping. I am at the high point of my career right now — I have so much love and appreciation from the industry, family and friends — it’s a warm place to be. I am happy and I want to celebrate,” enthuses Nushrat. The actress is throwing a big bash for her friends and family. At the last count, around 100 people were on her guest list. She is looking into everything from the cake, the food, the venue to the decorations. “On the cake, I am getting, ‘Happy Birthday to me’ written,” she laughs.

After ringing in her birthday with her parents, she will be spending the morning with the children of Smile Foundation and distribute sweets. “I will have a little party with them. The thought came to me when I was shooting for a scene in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety where I played a girl working for a NGO. There was this scene where I am with children from the less privileged background and I am distributing chocolates and cakes. It was so much fun being around the kids that I thought I should do this on my birthday,” says Nushrat.     

Not only that, the actress is planning to gift a luxurious car to her mother! “I hope it is delivered today, it’s a big surprise for her,” she smiles. Her party doesn’t end there, she is planning to go on a holiday with her girlfriends to London on May 24. “We are a gang of four and we are planning to have a lot of fun,” says the actress, who has had a great year. “The industry is now showing faith in me and considering me for their films, which gives me immense happiness,” she signs off.