EXCLUSIVE! Nupur Sanon On Struggle As A Newcomer: Family Made Sure Not To Push Me To Blend In With Kriti

Nupur Sanon who has been making headlines for her successful debut with 'Finhall' and 'Filhaal 2', recently opened up about the role her family plays in her journey. The actress told us at Filmibeat, that her family has been "supportive with letting us have our own exposure and explore our choices."

Nupur, who is Kriti Sanon's sister, emphasised that her parents and sister, "consciously make sure that they are not pushing me in a place where I blend in with Kriti and there is no identity of my own." The actress also opened up about her passion for singing, future projects and how she looks at her journey from struggle to the debut, while talking with us at Filmibeat.

Take a look at excerpts;

Filhaal ended on a sad note, was that always the plan? Will we get to see a positive ending to your character's story with part three?
Honestly, I don't know if Filhaal 3 will happen or not, because when we were working on the first music video, we didn't even know if Filhaal 2 was going to happen. It's just that the success was so overwhelming that we decided to second on. It was a very impromptu decision. The love these songs and our chemistry has received was really surprising. We thought that we had to make a brand of this. I personally haven't heard if there will be Filhaal 3.

Akshay sir recently said that he 'didn't end up with the girl in both parts so if not Filhaal 3 we should do something where I get the girl'. So you never know if the audience really roots for it, like they have for the first one then we could get another. The audience decides everything so anything can happen.

Akshay Kumar is known to be a prankster and keep the environment light on set, how was working with Akshay Kumar during both the songs?
He didn't play any pranks on me, but on the first day, I was very scared initially. I had never met him before during events or screenings. The first time I met him was on the sets of Filhall. I was generally nervous, as a newcomer I was scared, plus it was in front of a superstar. I thought I'd feel intimated and I was nervous throughout the first scene but then he cracked some joke in Punjabi and I just broke into laugh. I was the only girl in the entire cast and crew, so I was also pampered a bit, everyone used to call the lady luck of the team.

Since the first song release, you have gained a huge fan following. You probably have also received offers of different projects, could you share something about that?
There have been projects and I have signed one of them, in a month or two there should be some kind of announcement if it goes as per the schedule and plans of the producers. But there have been more approaches in terms of people calling for content-oriented roles.

People are now looking at me as an actress that I can emote and act. That's what I am liking about this because I always wanted that perception about me, that here's an actor who can act. That is the only refreshing thing about this experience.

You mentioned that you have faced a fair share of rejections and have struggled with making a debut, but now that you have come out to the other side with a successful debut, do you think that struggling days are not behind you?

I wouldn't say that because till the time you don't have four-five films in your hand you can't say anything. I have a long way to go because doing a music video is very different from a film. I think I will take some more for people to see me and for me to perform in different genres that people can relate to. It's all about luck and effort but I am very far from escaping my struggling days.

It doesn't even matter to me if I am shown in a glamorous way or not. In Filhaal 2 I am still looking pretty in nice dresses but in Filhall 1, I was in hospital clothes, messy hair, minimal makeup. It didn't matter to me because you get to show how good you can look in promotions on social media. So I am not going to shy away from roles where I don't look great or glamorous but I get to perform. I would love to do something like Udta Punjab where I get the chance to show my acting.

What was your family's reaction when you revealed that you want to become an actress, through the rejections and the debut?
They are extremely liberal and supportive of letting us have our own exposure and explore our choices. My parents and my sister used to consciously make sure that they are not pushing me in a place where I blend in with Kriti and there is no identity of my own. Which also a reason why initially when Filhaal, I and my sister got to hear from a lot of people that why am I debuting with a music video. That is isn't an ideal launch but I am decisive when it comes to what I want. I listen to what others have to say but I know when to use my own brain.

That is also where my family helped me and supported my decisions, instincts and guts. In order to make sure I am not being pushed into what Kriti has been doing. She has had her own journey, she didn't have anyone to follow which is why she made a unique mark. And for your family to do that for you is the best thing, and they have supported me and trusted me.

What advice did Kriti share with you when you started working on Filhaal, does she share inputs on the scripts and projects that you come across?

She is not someone who will help me with the kind of scripts or auditions I am looking for. Half of the time she is not even here, because she is busy with her schedule. If I crack an audition that's when I tell her that something has worked out. She is my sounding board, whenever I am confused I talk to her not only about work and scripts but about basic things also. I am new to the industry and I am not aware of the etiquette and I am a bit aggressive in my approach so she balances me out and helps me with the right medium. But why and who I want to get in touch with, that is always my decision.

You said that your passion for singing also attracted you to the prospect of Filhall. Will we be able to see you sing for your films as well?

Singing is something that has always been a hobby, a passion of mine. It's not a laid back passion I am trained in classical music, I have given papers, I keep doing riyas, and visit music schools across Mumbai. I take that as a bonus, I feel maybe someday in my film I would like to sing for my character. I would also like to sing a song for Kriti and more than that. But I don't want to become a singer-singer where you I am singing for everyone. I would like to use that talent somewhere.

What are your aspirations when it comes to acting, any specific director or actor you want to work with? Or a genre that you would die to work in?

There are so many people who I would want to work with and now there are so many new directors coming up who are making amazing stuff. But the kind of stuff that I would want to work in is something like Band Baaja Baaraat or Bareilly Ki Barfi. These movies are in a space that is also commercial, content-oriented. and also have a message for the audience There are certain female actors I look up to who are amazing at their craft like Vidya Balan. There are certain actors that you want to see and learn from, that's something I am looking forward to.