It has been just three years since she did her first fiction show on television and Nikita Dutta has already become one of the top actresses in the TV industry. This year, she has been a part of a TV show, a Netflix film and a feature film. She managed to leave a mark with the variety of roles she got to play across different mediums and is now set to appear in a web-series soon. The actress talks about her recent release ‘Gold’, why she prefers doing finite shows, working across different mediums and upcoming projects.
You had a small but well-etched out role in ‘Gold’. What was the brief given to you?
Initially, the brief that Reema had given me was that I was playing Himmat Singh’s (Sunny Kaushal) love interest. Himmat Singh was a very important character and it was based on Balbir Singh, the hockey player. Balbir Singh himself had this famous love story which Reema wanted to bring out in the film. Portraying Simran was quite easy as I had to portray a sweet, Punjabi girl.
You had made your debut with ‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil’ in 2014. After that, you did TV and now you are back to doing films again. What got you attracted towards these particular projects?
‘Gold’ is a very good film to be associated with. Reema is a fantastic director and there was no way I could have said a no to her. When it came to me, it sounded like a really good project to be associated with.
You were also seen in ‘Lust Stories’ earlier this year. It is quite interesting that you have worked with both Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti.
I know. It is a very good space to be in as an actor. I have been a big fan of the work Zoya and Reema have done in the past. So, it feels great to be a part of something which they have made.
Sushant Singh Rajput was from television and he has managed to do really well in films. In the recent past, too, a lot of TV actors like Mouni Roy and Radhika Madan have done films. Do you think it is easier for an actor to make a transition from TV to films?
I definitely think it has become easier these days as people do not stereotype you. Web series have become the medium that connects the two. People from both television and films are doing shows on digital platforms. The digital medium has bridged the gap between television and films. Doing TV proves to be very helpful for an actor as it gives you that constant work experience and makes you more comfortable in front of camera. After doing TV shows, actors find it quite easy to do films.
You have never done a typical saas-bahu drama. Is that a conscious decision?
Yes, that has been a conscious decision. I have tried to stay far away from such shows and hopefully, will manage to do that in the future as well.
Is that the reason you have done shows like ‘Dream Girl’, ‘Ek Duje Ke Vaaste’ and ‘Haasil’ which were made for a finite period of time?
Yes, I cannot see myself tied up to something for a very long time. It would be really difficult for me to be a part of a show that goes on for years at a stretch. Every show or character has a certain graph which must come to a conclusive end after a certain period of time.
Which has been your most special role till date?
Suman from ‘Ek Duje Ke Vaaste’ is my personal favourite character from the ones I have played so far.
Were you disappointed with the kind of response your last TV show ‘Haasil’ got?
Halfway through the shoot, there were things that did not go as planned. The show did not turn out to be the way we were expecting it to be. But, I guess it is a part of the game. Sometimes, you experiment with things and it does not turn out to be the way you had hoped it would. The show did not do very well but working on it was a really good experience.
How do you look at your journey from being a finalist in Femina Miss India 2012 to where you have reached now?
The pageant gave me a jumpstart in the industry. For someone like me, who did not come from an acting or modelling background, participating in the Miss India competition proved to be a very enriching experience. It gave me an introduction to the industry and that worked well for me.
Would you like to do something on a digital platform?
There is something happening on those lines. I shot for a web-series a while back. It will be out soon.