The Test Case makers might have known Nimrat Kaur could pull this off but the actor too didn’t leave any stone unturned to get into the skin of her role.
While we have all seen Nimrat Kaur creating magic on the big screen, she is now all set to leave you mesmerized playing India’s first combat officer in ALTBalaji’s The Test Case. Her character struggles to carve her own identity in the male-dominated world and proves that where there is a will, there is definitely a way. In an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com, Nimrat shared the reason why she took up this web series. She said, “I was sold at only their line- ‘you are going to play an army officer’. The idea was too seductive (smiles). Having grown up in an army background, I always wanted to see myself in a uniform and trust me; it was a fantasy coming true for me. Also, getting the chance to be a part of a narrative, that pans out for 4-5 hours was very attractive.”
While Nimrat is playing an army officer training to become a combat officer, interestingly she is blessed with a petite and feminine figure quite adverse to her character’s demand. When asked what makers saw in her to cast her in the role of a commando, she averred, “I have to give it to them. Yes, I do not have an exterior of an athlete or a soldier like body type. They really went with their faith and vision and I applaud them for the same. It really takes in a lot of imagination and courage to think of someone in a different light.”
The makers might have known Nimrat could pull this off but the actor too didn’t leave any stone unturned to get into the skin of her role. Shedding light into her journey of becoming Shikha Sharma, the Lunchbox star said, “It was extremely tough and torturous, and I really didn’t know what I had signed up for. The idea to be able to do actions and all the stunts is lovely to read on papers but it’s really difficult. I had to give up on everything I loved eating, and food for me is very important. I actually stopped meeting people as I wouldn’t have been able to eat anything with them. So kya karti (what would I do?), sip hot water? I was isolated and really cranky during the initial months as my body was adapting to the changes. Bless the people who managed to bear with me during the period. It took a lot of discipline and rigorous workouts to get to the place to look convincing as a soldier.”
Will Capt. Shikha Sharma become India’s first woman combat officer?#TheTestCase all episodes streaming in just 3 days on #ALTBalaji – http://t.co/zSUGKnwjIe#ALTBalajiOriginal@NimratOfficial @samarmumbaikhan @Anupsonicp @RahulDevRising@iam_juhi @Akshay0beroi @samirkochhar pic.twitter.com/QwHVsZDoO7
— ALTBalaji (@altbalaji) January 23, 2018
Nimrat’s father, who was an army officer, was killed by terrorists at a young age of 44. When asked if that gave her strength to play the part, she said, “I wouldn’t say the unfortunate incident that happened with my father was in my mind as I rather drew inspiration from all the good times. I used to love looking at him in the uniform with his shiny shoes and well-done turban. Also, the way he was saluted or he paid respect to his senior that was the memory in my mind. It was the glory and glamour that had even lured me to join the army. But realizing how tough it would be, I made a sharp u-turn.”
Also see Nimrat Kaur’s latest tweet:
— Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) January 25, 2018
Shikha in The Test Case may be a strong soldier but she had her emotional moments, where she even contemplated quitting. We asked her if she too goes through similar phases, to which Nimrat replied in between squeals of laughter “There’s absolutely nothing else that I want to do in life. I do have such moments when I say I am done with all of it, but the next second I realise then what else am I going to do. This is all I know. I am pretty useless with anything else.”
Nimrat, who has always been hailed for her good work, ironically has only been part of very few projects. While we thought she is picky with work, the actor revealed the real reason. “It’s been kind of a double edge sword for me. I would have definitely liked more work to come my way. I feel life hasn’t been kind for this part, as Airlift and Test Case, both took a year each to be made and I had to give up a few projects as I was committed to them. I like working and being on the sets, keeping my machinery well oiled, and didn’t like twiddling my thumb waiting for things. But I have learnt from my experiences and hoping that this year will be a game changer for me.”
Helmed by Vinay Waikul, The Test Case will be released on ALTBalaji on January 26. Apart from Nimrat, it also stars Juhi Chawla, Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Dev, Manit Joura, Suhail Nayyar, Akshay Oberoi, Samir Kocchar and Anup Soni.