As exciting as it's to join a popular show, it can be equally challenging to make a place for oneself, let alone stand out. Actor Nirvana Sawhney has seemed to done both
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As exciting as it's to join a popular show, it can be equally challenging to make a place for oneself, let alone stand out. Actor Nirvana Sawhney has seemed to done both. Among the new additions to the already stellar cast of In Made in Heaven 2, Nirvana played Gauri Khanna, step-sister to Jim Sarbh’s Adil Khanna.
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As the buzz around the show settles, Nirvana, who previously starred on Zee TV’s finite series Bin Kuch Kahe and was also the acting coach on Oscar-nominated Indian short Bittu (2021), opens up on her breakthrough with Made in Heaven 2, starring alongside Jim and Kalki Koechlin, and if TV actors are met with preconceived notions as they transition to movies.
Q. How have these weeks been for you?
Nirvana: It’s been really moving, especially immediately post release when there was a flood of DMs, constant calls. People, who know my family, were calling my parents to congratulate me. When my father received such calls, I was really moved because it was also a moment for him to feel proud. I have been receiving a lot of appreciation, kind words and feedback from everywhere. Sometimes it’s overwhelming, and sometimes I am full of gratitude and have to remind myself that this is happening and it’s time to enjoy it.
Q. Take me back to the time when the journey on Made in Heaven 2 began for you.
Nirvana: This happened during the lockdown. I had moved back to Delhi. I sent my audition to the casting team. I was of course excited about the audition when I sent it, but when for a few weeks I didn’t get any response, I thought to let it go. Then one day, I heard back from the team and they told me I was among the finalists and Zoya (Akhtar, c-creator) wanted to meet me. Then I auditioned for Zoya. She was lovely and warm. But it still wasn’t a final yes. Sometime later, I got a call saying, ‘We are going with you.’
Q. What did you include in your prep to play Gauri?
Nirvana: My audition actually had the sequence that became my first scene with Jim and Kalki in the series. So, I had to do some work at the audition stage itself to understand the character. After I was signed, I did ask the team for Gauri’s background. I needed to know what kind of a person she was, whether she was angry about everything, if she had a good relationship with her father, whether she knew about Adil and how she felt about it. So, I made choices for her accordingly.
Also, both Jim and Kalki were so grounded in their characters that it helped me to be clear about our on-screen dynamics and subsequently my character.
Q. So, how was the experience of working with both of them?
Nirvana: As co-stars, they made everything very comfortable for me. Firstly because of their understanding of their roles and equation with my character. Going into Made in Heaven 2, I knew I would work with really talented actors. So, obviously initially, I was nervous. Also, due to the lockdown, there were such long gaps between our scenes. It was challenging for me to know how consistent my character was coming out. But both of them made it really easy. I got really lucky with them as co-stars.
Q. One would assume it would be equally comforting and assuring to work with the directors of the series?
Nirvana: It was such a phenomenal experience to work with such talented and distinct voices in one project itself. What I loved about them was that they all were on the same page about Gauri. So, it wasn’t hard for me to move from one director to another. So, they were in sync with what they were getting out of me, even as they had different styles of direction.
Q. Being an addition to an existing popular cast, on set, was it difficult to not be overwhelmed by the pressure of making a mark among established actors?
Nirvana: Creatively, I was confident about what I was bringing to the table as I had a body of work to support me. But it was quite an emotional journey for me because from being signed to going on set, then working with actors like Jim and Kalki, it was (a lot).
In the middle of the shoot, sometimes I would wonder, ‘Wow, this is happening!’ So, it was a journey to gain that composure. Then I had to remind myself of my strengths and also the fact that Zoya picked me and showed faith in my abilities.
Q. Several actors, who transition to films from TV, have spoken about how they have to battle preconceived notions about them. They are doubted if they can play different characters given they are accepted in a certain image on the small screen. How has been your experience like making the shift?
Nirvana: I have heard from a couple of friends that if you come from TV, they look at you a certain way. I do feel that there may be some sort of notion that people have about (TV actors). Personally, I didn’t feel it. I also don’t see myself like that. I look at myself as an actor. If there’s a project that I like and it aligns with my sensibilities, I will do it irrespective of the medium.
Some of our biggest stars came from TV. Shah Rukh Khan is the biggest example. There’s such a huge spectrum. You can focus on one aspect of (TV background) and then that’s all you will see, because that’s your conformation bias. But good actors come from everywhere and you can’t put a box to it. Today, film actors are on OTT. I look at mediums as platforms to hone one’s skills. Some do it on TV, some in theatre, some get to do it while working on series. As actors, we aren’t only acting, we are also getting trained to do better.
Of course after you move to a new medium, you might not prefer the way TV works or the kind of stories that are being told. In that sense, you make choices for yourself. But it doesn’t mean you don’t even try to be a part of any project on television. If you want to, you should give it a shot.
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