Wamiqa Gabbi: Initially, I thought I was not cut out for cinema

While talking to actors, directors, writers or any artist, one question--even if actively avoided on account of sounding like a cliché--inevitably sneaks in. “When did you realise you were an artist?” Wamiqa Gabbi, who recently starred as Niloufer Qureshi in Vikramaditya Motwane’s Jubilee, a period drama series woven around the Hindi film industry in the 1940s-50s, had a rather interesting 'first audition.' “Usually, newborns have their eyes shut. My father tells me that when I was just 15 minutes old, he picked me up and I looked at him wide-eyed and pouty. He said, ‘At that moment I knew you were a draamebaaz.’

In Jubilee, Wamiqa has put all her wares on the table. She dances, seduces, flirts, jokes, and emotes. Her character Niloufer is a courtesan, a mistress, an aspiring actor, and a heartbroken woman, all packed in one. We spoke to Wamiqa about her growth as an actor, and why she was initially rejected for the part in Jubilee.

Excerpts:

Your portrayal of Niloufer is very lively. What was the best compliment you received for the performance?

One of the best compliments I got was from Imtiaz Ali. I was in Class 8 when I worked with him in Jab We Met. I played the youngest sister-in-law to Shahid Kapoor’s Aditya in the film and Imtiaz sir still calls me “choti waali” (Youngest one). He came to the screening of Jubilee and I was very anxious. After the screening he messaged me and it read, “You were tremendously good choti waali.” That meant a lot.

You have worked in the industry for a while now. How has your relationship with acting evolved?

I feel very satisfied with my work now. In the past 1.5 years I have shot Jubilee, three other projects with Vishal Bhardwaj and another fourth I am currently doing. Work has become really fun now, I am really thankful for that.

Was there a time when it was not fun?

I don’t even know what I was doing when I started out. I think I acted very superficially. Sometimes, I thought, 'Maybe I am not made for this. I should consider doing something else.' Then in 2019 and I went to audition for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Midnight’s Children. Although the project was shelved later, during the process I got to attend a three-day acting workshop with acting coach Atul Mongia. There I realised that acting doesn’t mean you don’t have to be yourself. To better your acting, you have to work on yourself. The more empathic, accepting and non-judgmental you are towards yourself, the better you will understand your character.

Your Jubilee character Niloufer is an aspiring actor, who starts off as a courtesan and then becomes a mistress. She seduces men to rise up but your portrayal of the character is so non-judgmental…

Niloufer might be sleeping with producer Shamsher Singh Walia (Ram Kapoor) in the series but she is not waiting for him to give a role. She is giving auditions, she is hustling and she is advancing only because of her talent. When I was shaping the character, I asked myself, 'Where does Niloufer get her acting talent from?' And I realised it is because as a courtesan she has spent her entire life acting in a way men might like.

You were earlier rejected for the role. What happened there?

My audition went well but for some reason, Vikramaditya sir was not sure about me. Later, when he saw my content on Instagram, he realised I was as quirky as he wanted Niloufer to be. Unlike Aditi Rao Hydari’s Sumitra Kumari, Niloufer isn’t all about grace. She is also chirpy and funny. In the reels and the funny videos I was making on Instagram during the pandemic, I guess Vikram sir saw his Niloufer.

When your father saw Jubilee, what was his reaction?

He accompanied me to the screening. Everybody was there from Anurag Kashyap to Imtiaz Ali and Vikramaditya sir. After the first episode, all of them were talking among themselves and praising the show. I somehow managed to slip away. I met my father, held his hand, and said, “Daddy, ye ki ho riya hain? (Dad, what is happening?)” We hugged and he just said, “Sahi hain, sahi hain (Everything’s going great, don’t worry)”