That dazzling smile and face that lit up your TV screen last year as she wiped chocolate off the end of her lips, saying a thousand things with her eyes, is back in the season’s latest Cadbury advertisement.
Nimrat Kaur, who then went on to make headlines for her performance in the critically-acclaimed 2013 bittersweet love story The Lunchbox , has been busy ever since, travelling with the film that was released in 75 countries.
She’s now signed an American TV miniseries as well. “It’s huge” she says with a big pleased smile. “In the next two weeks we begin filming Season Two in Cape Town,” she says with a glint in her eyes.
Nimrat was recently in Bangalore to open The Purple Pony Mansion in Koramangala, a boutique home decor store started by friend Megha Joshi. There was much camaraderie, cake cutting, and admiration all around, as the evening filled up with friendly chatter.
The question on everyone’s mind after witnessing Nimrat’s impressive acting chops in The Lunchbox : What’s she doing now? “I’m busy reading material and making the right choices. And hopefully I’ve made them. I’ve read and heard about 30-odd film scripts.”
She’s also been travelling extensively with the film that’s captured everyone’s hearts with its ode to love.
“I went to Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Dubai, Croatia. The response to the film has been absolutely fantastic. It’s also done superb business; it’s recovered three times its cost. It’s the best run an Indian film has had — it’s been released in 75 countries. Forget the numbers, just the love for it was great!” she beams. Travelling city to city in Switzerland and France was the high point, she stresses.
The Lunchbox , after being touted as India’s Oscar dream, was finally not nominated from the country. A decision that prompted heated debates, drew a lot of flak, and left all its backers more than just disappointed; angry even.
“Yes, we were disappointed,” says Nimrat. “The decision not to send it as India’s entry to the Oscars came on the Saturday after it was released. We were disappointed because we had a lot of hope from the film. There had been lot of international press and positive wind for it. But for me, personally, the disappointment must have lasted a day because I was just happy with so much love coming my way.”
The kind of roles coming her way has also made Nimrat rather happy.
“Not one is in the same space as my previous role. I’ve got offers to play a seductress, a 1940s star, a murderer, a terrorist…,” she throws up her hands in amazement.
She’s also in an advanced stage of talks for a film to be directed by Saurabh Shukla and produced by Nikhil Aadvani. It’s still tentative and we’re working out the formalities, is all she’ll say. “It’s a psychological thriller which deals with the question of reality and each individual’s perception of reality.”
The first chocolate advertisement brought her good luck. Will the second one too be a sweet beginning for another rewarding phase in her career?
