Acting abroad doesn't count as work experience in India: Nimrat
Mumbai: Acting in Hollywood is often seen as a career boost but Nimrat Kaur says her stint in the West isn't counted as work experience in India.
Despite having appeared in two American shows "Homeland" and "Wayward Pines", Nimrat said an actor is only talked about in the country when he/she is doing films here.
"I have worked abroad but that doesn't really translate here as work experience, so I am just two films old.
How you are remembered in India is by the films that you are doing here," the actor told PTI.
"The work that I am doing abroad is relatable and recognised by a handful of audience, or say a niche audience who watch shows that have Indian actors," she said.
After being part of two hit films, "The Lunchbox" and "Airlift", the 35-year-old actor is making her debut on the digital platform with a web series titled "The Test Case".
Describing this web series as a big opportunity for her as an actor, Nimrat said it was a "no brainer" for her to give a nod to this project.
"I was sure the story will be told with utmost passion and truth. It is a great opportunity and it would have been silly on my part to let go it."
Nimrat's father was an Indian Army officer and as she has grown up in cantonment areas, it was sort of a natural habitat for her.
"Many a times the set did not seem like a set. I felt it was an environment that I remember. Wearing the uniform was a childhood dream. And for the first time in my life, putting up a costume did not feel like a costume, it was a surreal experience to put the uniform," she said.
"I don't think I could have asked for more special experience as an actor in this juncture in my life. I feel blessed to be playing this part," the actor said.
"The Test Case", traces the story of India's first woman combat officer, who struggles to carve out her own identity in the male-dominated arena.
Considering that the plotline of the series is new, the actor believes she has a major advantage as an actor to play the part of an Army officer.
Nimrat said the reason why female actors are not seen doing roles of Army officers on screen is because in real life too there are not many women in this profession.
"I think 90-95 per cent of the Army is male-dominated.
That tells us about the number of women entering into the Army," she said.
"Also, I can't recall films being made on Army or about war front here, while in Hollywood you see a massive strength of movies being made on army, soldier or war," she added.
"The Test Case", backed by Ekta Kapoor, returns after a gap of about nine months.
The web series, which released its first episode reportedly in April last year, was shelved amid rumours of creative differences between Kapoor and director Nagesh Kukunoor.
However, Kapoor cleared the air saying the series has peen pushed ahead due to budget issues.
Nimrat said when the series went off air, she was deeply saddened and disappointed.
"I understood that there were factors and circumstances which were not in our control. The monsoon had hit and we couldn't shoot because of that and some other reasons. Most of our work was outdoor and once we knew monsoon was over we were on the floors again," she said
The series also features actors Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Dev and Annup Sonii. It will stream on ALTBalaji app from January 26.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
