Advait Chandan’s Loveyapa, a romantic drama, humorously explores the mobile-dependent generation that expresses emotions through emoticons. Starring Khushi Kapoor as Baani and Junaid Khan as Gaurav, the film features a couple who exchange phones on Baani’s father—Ashutosh Rana's instructions, unveiling each other’s bitter realities while working on the transparency of their relationship.
Tanvika Parlikar plays the role of Kiran, Junaid Khan’s (Gucci) sister. After her flawless performance in Dillogical (2024), Clutch (2021) and Roop Nagar Ke Cheetey (2022), she continues to explore dynamic genres and push her limits of flexibility and versatility. We speak to the actor to know more about her journey and experience of filming Loveyapa.
Excerpts:
Could you share some insights into your role in the film and what makes it unique?
I play the role of Kiran, Gucci’s sister. Gucci is played by Junaid Khan. She is sensible and thoughtful but things take a turn when she is forced to question her relationship in light of her brother and his girlfriend exchanging their phones. It is a very special role because if you see the film, a lot of the ideas of trust and respect in a relationship are explored through her eyes. She goes from believing she knows who she is marrying to feeling completely lost and confused. It was great to explore that as an actor!
What aspects of the script initially drew you to this project?
First and foremost, it was that Advait Chandan was the director. I had seen Secret Superstar and Lal Singh Chaddha and thought both films were excellent. The prospect of working with him was super exciting to me. It was also being produced by Phantom Films which has made some of my personal favourite films so having these two at the helm made it an unmissable opportunity. The script itself was so well-written with a lot of humour, heart and timely commentary on our tech-dependent lives.
How closely do you relate to your character, and did you bring any personal experiences into your portrayal?
Quite a bit! We are both older sisters to a younger brother so that was a great starting point. We are also both fairly headstrong and pragmatic but are actual softies on the inside. I brought my own experience as an elder sister to the role. That was my window into Kiran. Elder sisters are half-parents themselves with a very strong sense of responsibility so that helped guide not just how she viewed the world but a lot of her mannerisms as well.
Do you have a favourite scene in the film? Could you share a memorable moment or behind-the-scenes anecdote from the shoot?
My favourite scene would be the entire climax sequence! It is such an interesting emotional graph and I was very nervous about it before the shoot but on the day, everything just fell into place. I was also very lucky to get so much great energy from all my co-actors from Kiku [ Sharda] to Junaid to Grusha [Kapoor]. That helped a lot!
Where do you find inspiration for your performances, and are there any particular influences that shape your approach to acting?
I am a theatre kid through and through. I used to be a child actor but eventually found my true footing performing plays at the collegiate level in Delhi University. Those three years really moulded me and informed a lot of my approach to acting. Be it rehearsal, reading my script a ton of times, finding new ways to approach the same scene and most of all, collaboration. I try to bring as much of that same energy to my screen work as well. I am also in love with the craft itself so I consume a lot of content related to acting. I love reading about it, watching videos about how actors work, interviews, watching plays, shows, and films.
Are there any directors, actors, or filmmakers you’re especially eager to collaborate with in the future?
Vikramaditya Motwane is and has been at the top of my wish list forever! I have been a big fan of his work and loved Black Warrant. In terms of actors, I would also love to work with Vicky Kaushal and Sanya Malhotra. Both are great at what they do and seem like genuinely lovely people.
Could you give us a glimpse into your upcoming projects?
I am currently in talks for a couple of different things but it’s too early to say anything. I will start rehearsals for my new play soon so I am very excited about that.
(by Addrita Sinha)