Simrat Kaur is on cloud nine and also nervous. She is set to make a Bollywood debut with the sequel of the iconic Gadar. The actress who has a good body of work in the South film industry, is keeping her fingers crossed for her Hindi debut.
The Mumbai-born Punjabi girl talks about her journey from Bhayandar to Bollywood. “I was a nobody before this movie but after I joined the team of Gadar 2, everybody started recognising me. Travelling was a herculean task. I’m hoping Gadar 2 proves to be a hit so I can shift to the heart of the Bollywood area. After Gadar 2, I will give a better introduction about myself. I’m working on my skills and will improve my craft,” she says. Simrat never had formal training in acting. The actress who had done a few commercials started working in 2017. She made her Telugu film debut in the same year with Prematho Mee Karthik.
“I have never learnt acting from any institution. I think it was always there within me, which I never discovered. I realised I love acting when I was doing Prematho Mee Karthik,” she shares. “I had done Cadbury commercials when I got this opportunity. Before getting a call for the film, I hadn’t thought of making a career in acting. After that, I was like ‘what next?’.
However, just like other aspiring actors, it wasn’t an easy ride for Simrat. “In 2017 my struggle started. I didn’t even have any leads and was unaware of places where the auditions were being conducted. I was informed by casting director Mukesh Chhabra. It was difficult for me to crack
— whether they were looking for a fresh face or someone who has experience. Being an outsider, I had to face a lot of struggle and I was open to it. After my Cadbury advert became famous, it was then I started getting offers,” she explains.
Advertisements pay more than movies, but there’s a different kind of thrill working in movies, feels Simrat. “For a commercial, one-day pay is huge, but working in movies, if you love doing what you are doing, you get maximum satisfaction. We have to earn money but at times it's not money that keeps me going. In commercials, you don't have to perform. You just have to get dolled up. I love performing in movies,” she says.
But what about the common perception that models are stone performers? “Good-looking people are considered as models. Acting is something you need to perform and not just look beautiful… There’s a bit of actor in everyone, you just have to discover it. I have never done acting and had stage fright during my school days. However, as I started working, now I feel I belong here,” she signs off.
