I first met Rashmi years ago with a pilot friend of mine at Sophia College, she had a gorgeous smile and sunny personality and when I bumped into her again on my flight back from Singapore it struck me that she’s still just as happy shiny! So here’s wishing her oodles of love and luck for Heroine and beyond 🙂 xoxo
MissMalini: Hi Rashmi! Great to chat with you on my blog! Tell me about Heroine! Are you excited?
Rashmi Nigam: Hi, its great to chat with you on land after our up in the air meeting 🙂 Yes I am super excited about being a part of Heroine. To be cast by Madhur Bhandarkar and working on this much awaited film has been overwhelming at times.
MM: You play a star wife right? Can you tell us who you modelled yourself on? There are reports doing the rounds that you character is based on Gauri Khan and Sussanne Roshan. How true is this?
RN: Well it’s my director’s vision to show the relationship push and pulls for a non-actor in a relationship with a loved one in the film industry. It is not based on any one person in particular, but just that how when you are a big star, you live in a fish bowl and everything about you and your personal life comes under focus.
MM: You mentioned before that Kareena Kapoor is your favourite actress, so how did you feel when you landed a role in a film with her?
RN: I was so happy, like a little teenage girl meeting her female crush who she admires and idolises! Once I was told that I was in the film (which was a month before the start of the film) from then on it was a countdown for me to get to meet her. I would keep harassing my AD’s as to when we are starting and if my first scene is with Kareena. And finally on my first day on the sets, my first scene was with Kareena and she had to come and hug me! So I got to hug her some 5 times and talk to her in between shots. Kareena is pretty cool and easy to work with and oh so gorgeous!
MM: One thing you’ve learned from Kareena while shooting this film?
RN: I learned a lot from just watching her. She is just so present in her space and she rehearses just enough to get comfortable with the lines and space but the rest she leaves to being spontaneous and true to the character as well as to the directors requirements. There is so much ease in her way of acting, it’s not over rehearsed and obviously being so talented helps!
MM: You seem to have some pretty killer looks in the film who has styled you and what designers will you be wearing?
RN: The clothes I wore in the film were so beautiful. I was styled by my lovely stylist Shefali from Shefalina. She gave me such gorgeous gowns to wear from designers like Shane & Falguni Peacock and Shantanu & Nikhil and some high street fashion clothes from Bebe and Zara.
MM: As a heroine yourself what would you say is the hardest part of the job?
RN: Well for me the hardest part of the shoot was that initially all our scenes for a week involved shooting late nights, so our timings were 5pm to 5am. That took quiet a bit of getting used to and to look fresh so late in the night when all you wanna do is curl up in bed and sleep! But fortunately like any Madhur Bhandarkar film this too, is a big ensemble cast, so there was never a dull moment while waiting for your shot as there were always so many actors on the set to catch up with.
MM: Who is your favorite actor and one you would love to act opposite?
RN: I have actually two favourite actors, Salman Khan and Abhay Deol and I would love to work with both of them. Both the actors style and choices are so different yet for me Salman’s fun and bratty ease is so endearing while the movie roles Abhay chooses are such crazy fun like in Dev D, that it would be great to be a part of the madness!
MM: A dream role for you? One movie you wish you had done?
RN: Well I like Sridevi and found her comic sense so good, as well as the variety she could add. So for me her double role in Chaalbaaz and the film itself, is one I wish I had done.
MM: Your favorite Bollywood movie/song currently?
RN: My favourite song is from Cocktail and it’s called Daaru Desi and my favourite film, absolutely Heroine!!!
MM: Tell us something we didn’t know about you?
RN: I am a great chef and I love to eat! If I’ve eaten something once and get the recipe for it, I will cook it pretty well. I’m learning to make Shammi Kebabs from my mom now, she is from Lucknow and a superb cook!
MM: What’s next for you Bollywood wise?
RN: I hope to be blessed by Ganpati Bappa that Heroine is a success and I can use this as a spring board to other great projects.
MM: We feature your style often on MissMalini.com who are your favorite designers and high street brands?
RN: My favourite designers are absolutely my friend Nachiket Barve, his clothes just flow on your body and are so colourful. I am not someone who only wears designers clothes, I have found great dresses in boutiques. For high street fashion I like Zara, Bebe and always go to New York where my sister stays, to shop-till-I-drop and get clothes back.
MM: A message for your MissMalini.com fans?
RN: Thank you for reading up on me on this fun informative site and always replying and retweeting it! I hope all of my fans go to watch Heroine and come back with having spent a great time watching the film and enjoyed my performance. Tweet me about it here!
MM: Thanks Rashmi, we’re so looking forward to it, stay tuned for the review tomorrow MissMalini.com! xoxo