Ruman Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; October 16, 2019)

This Durga Puja, MP and actor Nusrat Jahan insisted, was very different from anything she had celebrated earlier. Getting decked up in her husband, Nikhil Jain’s favourite sari, playing the dhaak, having bhog and then watching immersion of idols — every moment during the five days of Puja has been special. Nusrat sat down for an exclusive interview and shoot. Excerpts:

How different was this year’s Puja?
I was never into pandal-hopping during the Pujas. I would visit some pandals only if I had some professional commitments including Puja inauguration. Nikhil tells me that two years back, I had promised to show him Kolkata’s Pujas. Though I have no memory of that promise, I still wanted to keep my word. Besides, I also wanted to show him how Ma Durga is welcomed in Bengali culture, how the dhaak is played and so on. As a result, this time my Puja celebration was very different.

You even had bhog…
Yes, we did. The best part was when Nikhil played the dhaak, not once did he seem like an amateur. He had a lot of confidence when he played the dhaak and even made me dance to the beats. On Thursday evening, we went to meet Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) for Bijoya Sammilani. We were offered naru there. Nikhil, who had never tasted a narkel naru before, pronounced it ‘nara’. It was too adorable when I heard him say that. All these sweet nothings made my Puja really special.

We’ve heard that Nikhil even tells you how to deck up and offers you his suggestions…
Yes, he does. The day my stylist wants to tie up my hair, he will just come up and say: ‘Chul baandhbe keno? (Why will you tie up your hair?)’ That’s it. If I keep my hair open, he might say this side is not correct. Initially, we had started wondering if we have a new stylist with us. Now, my stylist, Sandy, has made friends with him and he convinces him.

Trolling has now become common for you. Even during this year’s Puja, you got trolled for offering anjali or playing the dhaak. How do you handle all this?
I have offered anjali earlier as well. Probably, it wasn’t that big an issue. Two years back, I had wished people on Durga Puja and had got trolled for it. That became a topic for national news. I was sleeping at home and suddenly woke up to this news. Mine was a very innocent wish and yet trolls had reservations on that. Trolling is no longer new for me. But yes, life threats are. I have been very strong always. My thought process can’t be hindered by what trolls say.

This year, some clerics have expressed reservations on your Puja participation. It was never an issue then...
It is still not an issue. We have worked hard to be in front of the camera and these people are getting it for free. It is an opportunity for them if the media calls them up and asks them to be in front of the camera for 30 minutes. They will be happy to do that. Those who claim to be custodians of jannat have not fed me. They are all craving for limelight. I am not bothered if these people want to be in the limelight taking my name. I don’t even feel like answering them back. That’s because I don’t want to talk to people who do not have a basic understanding of humanity.

How do you keep calm during such situations?
The best part is that I no longer need to reply to trolls. People are doing it on my behalf. Even those like Javed Akhtar ji and Onir have answered on my behalf.

What was your reaction when you saw that?
Normally, people are not supportive. But when you see people with such liberal thoughts speaking in your favour, it means a lot. I thank Javed Akhtar ji and Onir for answering the trolls on my behalf. It gives a lot of strength.

How did you learn to take everything in your stride?
I think, life taught me that. I learnt all my lessons from life. I get angry only at people I love. My anger is abhimaan. My maximum reaction would be to throw away my phone. These days, I do not even do that since phones are very expensive. I choose things that are less expensive.

Lokkhi Puja (Lakshmi Puja) was celebrated on Sunday. What is your definition of a ‘lokkhi meye’ (the perfect girl)?
Earlier, the definition of ‘lokkhi meye’ was someone who looked like a goddess. The definition includes attributes like good looks, the ability to cook well and be calm. But there are other important qualities, too. Home is a separate world. Professional space is different. I try to balance my home and workspace. Today’s ‘lokkhi meye’ has to know about her parents’ expectations and live up to that. She has to be aware that her sister admires her and needs to conduct herself in a way that she upholds the family’s respect. It is also about acknowledging that there are many others who are inspired by her and taking care of their expectations. After marriage, it is about also taking care of her husband. The perfect ‘lokkhi meye’ has to be able to balance all these with elan. There are many women who actually do that. They take a bus to work, manage professional issues and then return home to cook or even help the children with the homework.

What is the toughest part of maintaining this balance?
Managing time is the toughest part. A day only has 24 hours. That means, I have to compromise on my sleep. I love to laze around. I love being very lazy at times. I have very little time to do that now.

Do you consider yourself to be a ‘lokkhi meye’?
I have never thought of it that way. But I want to believe what my parents have said. I guess, I am one though sometimes there is a bit of a Chandi image, too, that I carry. I think, unless you worship Saraswati, you can’t be Lakshmi. I’d say I have a combination of both Saraswati and Lakshmi.

How important is money (Lakshmi) for you?
It is important for everyone. We are all earning in order to maintain a good lifestyle. We used to have debates in school saying money is the root of all evils. We were asked to choose between crying in a fancy car or smiling in a cycle. I never chose a cycle because I knew that crying or smiling is in my hands. I felt riding in a fancy car was always a better option. I have always aspired to earn enough to fulfil my dreams and that of my family members. I wanted to be stable enough to be able to do that.

What are your dreams now made of?
My next agenda would be to keep up the promises I have made to people.
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ON NUSRAT, THE LOKKHI BOU

She is the quintessential lokkhi bou (perfect bahu) and I am so proud of her. The way she gels with all the members of the family is praiseworthy. She takes care of her team, my parents, her constituency, our home — I’m amazed by her time management skills. The best part is she keeps her cool and dignity despite all odds. As a husband, I couldn’t have asked for more. She performs all her personal and professional duties without complaining. My first Durga Puja with her after marriage was fantastic.We offered our first anjalitogether,played the dhaak,took part in Sindoor Khela and created everlasting memories.

— Nikhil Jain, Nusrat’s husband

Zinia Sen and Ruman Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; July 4, 2019)

Their Alipore apartment is being set up at the moment, but newly-weds Nusrat Jahan and Nikhil Jain have already made it their home with a lot of love. They might be super-busy, as Nusrat is an actress-MP and Nikhil, a businessman, but the duo said it’s their we-time that keeps them going. On Sunday afternoon, Nikhil was all set to leave for the hotel where their reception will be held soon and Nusrat had plans to make an elaborate dinner of matar ki kachori, daal makhni, Kashmiri aloo dum and veg pulao for her husband, but before that, they sat with us for a long-pending chat — their first after returning from Bodrum where they exchanged vows. Excerpts:

Nusrat, you have been invited as the special guest for the inauguration of International Society for Krishna Consciousness’s (Iskcon) Rath Yatra festival. Have you accepted the invite?
Nusrat: It’s a matter of great honour for me to be invited by them. Of course, I will be attending it. It will be my pleasure to be associated with this inclusive event. They have also invited Nikhil. So, both of us will be present there. After that, we will get ready for our reception. I used to visit Mayapur for Ulta Rathayatra every year. I have always respected all religions and will continue to do so.
Nikhil: It’s a proud moment for anyone to get invited as a special guest for the inauguration of Iskcon’s Rath Yatra festival. We both are looking forward to it.

When a cleric recently said he doesn’t recognise your marriage to a Hindu, you wrote on social media, “Paying heed or reacting to comments made by hardliners of any religion only breeds hatred and violence, and history bears testimony to that..” At a time when everything about you is under scrutiny, how do you keep your calm?
Nusrat: I have been calm all these years. These things don’t matter to me. This gives me an opportunity to show people what I am. If this causes a stir and brings about a change, I will be more than glad. I want every woman to live life the way they wish to and not abide by the norms imposed on them. A lot of people had problems with me posting a selfie where I was covered from top to bottom. I am here to focus on myself and my work. I am not bothered about who says what.

Nikhil, does this bother you?
Nikhil: I agree that it’s not normal for me. Someone asked me, ‘How are you going to deal with it, she is an actor and now she is an MP…?’ I think when you love someone, you accept everything about that person.

Nikhil, when did you propose marriage to her?
Nikhil: It was on my birthday last year. On November 17, she gave me a birthday party. Three to four days before that, I decided I would propose to her. I bought the ring…
Nusrat: I had seen the packet, but he told me it was for someone else.
Nikhil: We went out for dinner. I was driving and she sat beside me. All our friends were following our car. There were butterflies in my stomach. I stopped the car in front of Victoria Memorial at midnight. I said, two of my friends are fighting in another car. I walked her out, went down on my knees and proposed to her. I asked her, ‘Will you make my jawlines ache forever?’ She said yes. It was an emotional moment for us.

Nikhil, what was your reaction when Nusrat was trolled for posting a picture of hers at Parliament?
Nikhil: If people are talking about her among so many parliamentarians, it’s a good thing. Probably I only took that picture. I felt she was wearing a perfectly normal dress.
Nusrat: One of the pictures was taken by Nik (she calls him that). Had this incident not happened, I wouldn’t have known how many women were out there to support me. It’s good when someone takes the initiative to bring about a change, that’s how we progress in society.
Nikhil: The same thing happened when she wore sari and sindoor…
Nusrat: I am a married woman and I was following the rituals of a married woman. I don’t know why people are saying that I converted. I am a Muslim woman, but that doesn’t mean I cannot pay respect to any other religion or their rituals. People are writing to me, ‘Tumi jahannam e jabe (you will go to hell)’. They are probably guards of hell and heaven and make a call and say, ‘yeh karna hai, woh nahin karna hai’. How can people tell you what you are supposed to do!
Nikhil: That’s probably 5% of social media. The rest 95% is very positive. On Twitter, many said this is what secular, inclusive India is — a Muslim woman keeps her name, adds a Hindu name to hers, wears sindoor, touches the feet of elders, which is the tradition in India, and says Vande Mataram.

You also had a white wedding apart from following the Hindu and Muslim traditions…
Nusrat: I really dreamt of it from my childhood. I wanted to wear a white gown and walk down the aisle. Whatever I dreamt of, he turned it into a reality. I might sound romantic, cliché, mushy, but that’s the reality. It came to me like a surprise. He flew in my favourite artiste, Rahul Jain, to render songs we’d be hearing in the car…

Nusrat, what happens to your acting career now?
Nusrat: Many asked me, films or politics? My answer is, both. Films made me what I am. I haven’t got my first remuneration as an MP, so what I earn as an actor is feeding me now. I am not giving up on films.

RAPID FIRE

WITH NIKHIL

What do you like about her the most?
She’s humble

What’s do you not like about her?
She nags

Best date place?
Somewhere in the hills

Her first gift to you?
A watch

Her best film?
Ami Je Ke Tomar

WITH NUSRAT

What do you like about him the most?
His simplicity

One nagging habit?
He has many!

His first gift to you?
A sari

He looks best in a...
Anything in white

On a movie date, what will you watch?
An animation film