Off and running

Punjabi actor Wamiqa Gabbi on wrestling her way into Malayalam cinema with Godha

Wamiqa Gabbi

Wamiqa Gabbi packs a pretty punch on screen in

Godha, judging just by the trailer and a song from the film that’s gone viral. In real-life too the doe-eyed lass appears to be the same, when she gets talking over the phone from Mumbai, where she is based. The gregarious Punjabi actor is making her debut in Mollywood with the film, which is set to hit theatres on May 12.

Godha , set in the world of wrestling, has been directed by Basil Joseph. It’s not a film that she is likely to forget ever, says the actor, for it left her black and blue! “During the shoot, I got so many bruises on my arms, hands, legs and thighs from all the pushes, punches, ropes, and harnesses, not to mention the abrasions from the sand in the godha (wrestling ring)!” exclaims Wamiqa, with signature candidness. “It was totally worth it, though. Whatever happened to me, I didn’t stop. I’d just tell my director to give me a couple of minutes break to let the pain settle and I’d be back in front of the camera, guns blazing,” adds the actor.

Wamiqa acted in a number of Punjabi and Hindi films, a Telugu ( Bhale Manchi Roju ) and Tamil ( Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam ) film each, before she hopped across the border. “All I knew about Malayalam cinema prior to Godha was that it is an industry that celebrates content and has an audience that appreciates it. I was very happy when Basil called me for the role. I’m bowled over by how passionate everyone here is about cinema,” says the actor.

Wamiqa plays Aditi Singh, a spunky female wrestler in

Godha and is paired opposite Tovino Thomas. “She’s kind of like me when I was in college. If Aditi beats up troublemakers, I used to scare the life out of guys who tried to act funny with me. Like me, she appears to be an introvert at first but I can yap endlessly with people I know well,” says Wamiqa. Unlike the character, however, Wamiqa initially had no idea about wrestling when she signed up for the film. “I trained for a month and learnt all the basic moves at a wrestling school in Amritsar, Punjab. Wrestling is pretty easy,” she says. And we believe her.

Basil had gushed how Wamiqa actually hefted Tovino up on her shoulders and walked around the godha, as easily as lifting a barbell! “(Laughs) That’s true. We had run out of moves to film and I suggested this to the director. Tovino was all game for it. I got a lot of claps and hoots!” she says.

The actor has much more to cheer about. She’s completed a Punjabi film and is all set to play the lead in her second Tamil film, Iravaakaalam , opposite SJ Suryah.