Nimrat Kaur: Took Brad Pitt’s ‘Moneyball’ character as reference for ‘Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video’ role

Nimrat Kaur. Pic/Yogen Shah

Actor Nimrat Kaur says she took inspiration from Hollywood star Brad Pitt's character in the 2011 film "Moneyball" to essay the role of a flamboyant cop in her upcoming movie "Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video".

She plays Bela Barud, a police officer who heads the investigation to find Sajini (Radhika Madan), a physics teacher who disappears under mysterious circumstances.

Kaur said film's director Mikhil Musale's playlist, which includes soundtracks by iconic German music composer Hans Zimmer, also helped her get into the skin of her character.

"I loved it (role) because it gives me that flamboyance which I don't have as a person. I'm kind of shy and I'm selective about my extroverted days. Her tough exterior over compensates her femininity, she wants to hide behind her clothes.

"The reference was Brad Pitt from ‘Moneyball'. I've a poster at home where Brad Pitt is sitting and below it is written Bela Barud… He (Musale) has a playlist from Hans Zimmer to all kinds of kickass composers in the world. It (playlist) was kicka''," the actor told PTI in an interview here.

Pitt had played the spirited Billy Beane, the general manager of the American baseball team Oakland Athletics, in "Moneyball", a role that had earned the actor an Academy Award nomination.

Madan, on the other hand, was instructed to listen to Amit Trivedi's "Madhubala" song from his 2021 album ‘Songs of Love'.

"We played majorly one song that was a constant reminder that… Amit Trivedi's ‘Madhubala' was the reference for everything. It was there in my playlist, which I used to listen to in the van or on the sets," she added.

In order to assist actors get into the "mood", Musale said that he would do anything to create the right ambience.

"Over the years and after three films, I've realised that sets are so chaotic, especially when you are dealing with so many characters. In our film, we have multiple characters, tracks and moods. When an actor comes on a set, everything has to be in the direction to get the scene right.

"Music and the environment that you create (is important). I would instruct all my team members and we would only discuss what helps the actors and everyone to be comfortable to get the scene right. Every scene works when you get the moment right," said the director, known for "Wrong Side Raju" and "Made in China".

"Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video" is inspired from a real-life incident, revealed Musale.

"This particular incident happened in someone's life who I know, so that was the germ (for the story). I worked with my writer Parinda (Joshi) and we started developing it. There were many points and opinions that we wanted to showcase.

"The film is a mix of many thoughts, opinions and emotions and there's complete ownership towards it. We drew a lot of experiences from people around us and made it personal," he added.

Playing Sajini was an "emotionally draining" but a "satisfying" experience for Madan.

"It was eerily silent, intense and emotionally draining but equally satisfying and that's what an actor lives for. I always had this one person around me… The director. Whenever I was falling there was that trust that I'm taken care of. It is such a luxury to have that otherwise it can get dark playing this by yourself and being all alone," she said.

Bhagyashree, Subodh Bhave, Chinmaye Mandlekar, Shashank Shinde and Sumeet Vyas also play significant roles in the movie. Produced by Maddock Films, "Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video" hits screens on Friday.

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