Actress Nushrratt Bharuccha on her stellar performance in ‘Chhorii 2’
Actor Nushrratt Bharuccha is on a roll. She is receiving praise for her powerhouse performance in Vishal Furia’s Chhorii 2, a darker and more intense sequel to the 2021 movie Chhorii, which released last week on Amazon Prime Video. We speak to Nushrratt about lifting the movie with her impressive act as Sakshi.
Nushrratt Bharuccha dives deeper into Sakshi's fierce maternal instinct in Chhorii 2
Tell us how Sakshi’s character develops further in Chhorii 2.
In Chhorii, Sakshi fought to protect her girl from being sacrificed. She would not let her fall prey to sacrifice for a better crop or a better lineage or any such reason. She fought that battle and survived it. In Chhorii 2, her daughter is seven years old and after six years, the evil returns and the daughter is now in grave peril again because the same cult that she ran away from once, has found her, and taken her child to sacrifice her. She now must fight a bigger cult, and another evil that still exists in the name of custom and blind faith.
How did you prepare for the role?
It’s very difficult to play an emotion on screen which you have not lived in your real life. Since I’m not a mother yet, I will never fully know what a mother feels for her child, how fiercely protective she is, how driven she is, and what the love for a child can force a mother to do. My biggest challenge was to get those emotions right.
How was it working with Soha Ali Khan?
It was amazing working with Soha. She’s such a fun and wholesome person. She’s got such a beautiful life and is a mother. There was a lot from her stories that I could kind of absorb— how she likes to be there for her daughter for certain things and to be at home taking care of her rather than miss all those moments and be somewhere else. Her role as Dasima was polar opposite to Sakshi’s character—two women who have different mindsets and who come from different worlds collide together.
Did playing Sakshi after a gap help?
Actually, the gap worked for me because sometimes when you disconnect from something and go back into that world, you’re able to reconnect to that world or the character with a new perspective. Now, when I played Sakshi, the canvas was wiped clean and I could put more thought and layers into it.
How has playing Sakshi honed you as a future real-life mom?
Oh, I’m already fiercely protective of certain relationships in my life, whether it’s my niece, my grandmother, my mom, or my dad. I would go up in arms if someone even thought of harming them in any way. So, I can only imagine how it will be if I have a child. I’ll just be his or her strongest ally and guard. I would like to protect my child from having any doubt about his or her self-worth.
In real life, what are your coping mechanisms when you are low?
I take a day at a time and I don’t hide my emotions. I don’t pretend to be happy if I’m sad. If I’m sad, then I will stay in that sadness. I will let my mind and body feel it and get over it. I don’t sweep things under the carpet because I think that’s more damaging. I live it and get it out of the system. Things don’t change overnight in anyone’s life. It takes time. I think the best part is to just sail through that time.
What are your upcoming projects?
I have a film that is produced by Neeraj Pandey, which is again based on a crime committed against women blatantly, ruthlessly, and horribly.
Summer checklist
Five summer skincare essentials:
Lip balm, sunscreen, moisturisers for face, hand and feet, blush-on, rosewater or lavender mist.
Summer special drinks and dishes:
Mangoes, lychees, and infused water.
Fitness regimen:
I have a trainer and some equipment at home. So, when I’m short on time, I just do something on my own, whether it’s a few minutes on the cross trainer or on the treadmill or just resistance band training.