Nimrat Kaur
Nimrat Kaur

Nimrat Kaur is always such a delight to speak to. And as per usj, she’s all set to wow us again with her stint on yet another fab series, Wayward Pines season 2. The show is a masterful adaptation of the Wayward Pines novels by eminent sci-fi and mystery author Blake Crouch. The first season of the show, directed by M Night Shyamalan, was a huge success and also starred the super cute Matt Dillon.

It’s back with season 2 now and Nimrat is all set to make us fall in love with her all over again. I spent 10 minutes with her on the phone talking about her show, actress’ shelf life in the industry, social media, female friendships in Bollywood and all sorts of fun stuff.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Hi Nimrat! This is Priyam from Team MissMalini…

Yes, I remember you. We met during Airlift, right?

I was hoping you remembered – we had so much fun!

We did!

So what’s up? Are we losing you to the West?

No! Why would you say that? I’m going nowhere. (laughs)

Because I hear you’re doing some very interesting stuff again. You’re in season 2 of Wayward Pines…

Well, we’ve already shot several episodes. We’ve shot 8… we have 2 more episodes to go. It’s very exciting because it’s a genre I’ve not experienced or attempted before. It’s science fiction and it’s a thriller. I’m thoroughly enjoying the process because it’s a space that you sometimes find yourself struggling in. You figure out some answers. It’s very cool. Lots of fun!

So was the getting the character right a struggle, you’d say?

No, it wasn’t. Because it’s sci-fi and stuff but at the same time, the character has a very human quality to it. I’m playing Rebecca Yedlin. She’s not someone I can’t relate to, you know? She goes through a very intense journey emotionally and she’s someone who’s every intriguing. She lives in a contrast where her life has changed completely. How she negotiates through life now, is really interesting. It manages to really keep me on my toes. So I didn’t have to do anything physically, I just tried to stay true to the scenes that were given to me and because there is a ‘before’ and ‘after’ to her life – her body language is different now. Her life in Wayward Pines is different.

Nimrat Kaur
Nimrat Kaur

You’ve become super pro at going away and doing these amazing series. Is your experience shooting for a series different than that of shooting for a film?

Of course! You’ve no idea what you’re going to shoot next here. You’re only given the script of the episode you’re about to shoot next and that’s really all you know. You don’t really know how your path is going to turn out. It’s a constant unfolding of the whole thing – not just your part, but the entire larger picture. So hat can be very daunting, but it leaves you asking for more! It’s challenging in a good way. It’s a very different medium from a film because you have the full picture in front of you.

So would you say you’re partly the audience also?

Absolutely! So we’re going on air on the 25th and that’s the day we are shooting for the 8th episode. And I have no idea what we the episode is about. You can only hope and pray that it works out for the better. You’ve to trust the people you’re working with.

Would you be open to doing television back home?

Ummm… I haven’t thought about it. I don’t think I’d be okay doing anything in fiction in India yet. But in non-fiction something interesting comes up, I don’t know, maybe.

Nimrat Kaur
Nimrat Kaur

You stand for very credible work. We know somehow if Nimrat is in it, the project is going to be of consequence…

My God! This is all too much!

No, it’s true. So in that scenario, do you not think it’s risk to go away and do work at the peak of your career? You ever fear you’ll be forgotten in Bollywood?

You know what? Then that’d mean I was never really loved and wanted to begin with. Honestly speaking, it’s not like I’d sit in Bombay and be like I shouldn’t go away for 4 months outside the country because when I come back, no one would want me (laughs).

But you know what I’m saying, right? It’s said Bollywood has a very short term memory…

Yeah… Like out of sight, out of mind, right? But I think world over that’s the case. So if people could remember me from Homeland after 2 years, I don’t think one needs to worry about life like that. I just go with the flow. I remember people asking me during Airlift what I’m doing next, and I genuinely had no answer.

Yeah. I remember you’d said you are going to your sister’s wedding after the film..

Yup. And I was reading Wayward Pines’ script during those days. I was reading two pages at the sangeet, two at the salon… and before I knew it, it was all done and I was doing this. I’m very excited!

Nimrat Kaur

Thank you so much for talking to me, Nimrat. You know I love you!

That’s so sweet! Lots of love to you and your entire team.

Wayward Pines Season 2 premieres on Star World Premiere HD on Friday, May 27th at 10 PM and will continue to air every Friday at the same time.

Also read

Nimrat Kaur Has A Super Badass Response To Actresses Having A ‘Shelf Life