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While Nushrratt Bharuccha has worked in a horror film before, with ‘Chhorii’ she is treading into new territory as she’s headlining this solo film. The actress is highly intrigued by well-written stories and takes a keen interest in anything and everything paranormal. Her second spooky project is different from anything she has worked on before and the trailer has already created a strong impact. Talking about the film, this is what Nushrratt shared with ETimes in an exclusive chat.

Excerpts:

How do you feel about the response to the ‘Chhorii’ trailer?

It’s been a great response. I think horror films always have a tricky space where you want to reveal to the audience what all you have, but you also have to not reveal and keep the element of surprise. Our teaser and trailer got the audience intrigued but still managed to establish that need to watch more of it. It’s a tough one to crack and I think people have understood what we are trying to tell them; that’s great! We have achieved the first target that we wanted.

‘Chhorii’ is a different kind of horror. Tell us more…

When you start watching a horror film you know what it’s going to feel like. But we wanted to set a different space for horror, with relatable things, but again, also include things which you may not have seen before. It is going to scare you and make you go like ‘How this is happening in the film?’. We have a great team with Abundantia Entertainment. I feel like the film is in the right hands with the director Vishal Furia sir who is so passionate. He is an absolute fan of horror. This film is not for cheap thrills, it’s going to be hard-hitting and you will really go silent after watching it. I think we have done a great job and I hope it connects with the audience in the way we are attempting to.

How did you prepare for the role?

I have never been pregnant so I wouldn’t understand what it truly means and feels when you have a life inside of you. It’s a great unknown for me and I was afraid of that. My team made a prosthetic stomach for me which weighed roughly as much as it would with an actual eight-month-old baby. I was wearing the bodysuit throughout the day, I slept in it, I went to the bathroom and I literally lived in it for days to understand how difficult it is when you carry so much weight. It was the first practical hurdle. It’s like your body weight is not the same anymore, you’re now standing with extra kilos which you are not used to carrying every day. Also, you can’t do certain movements, but each pregnancy is different. To put me there through every emotion, I asked different friends, family members and mothers what they felt during their journey. I kind of pieced it all together from different mothers and created a character graph with physicality and emotional baggage to play the role of Sakshi right. But you also have to understand the situation Sakshi is stuck in the film is not an ordinary situation. When we as human beings are put in such extraordinary situations, we end up doing unthinkable things. You might feel like, how can she run in 8-months-pregnancy?, but she can. These are the things we wanted to be truthful and real.

This is your second horror film. What keeps you glued to the genre?

A well-written script for any film with something new and interesting is always inviting. I feel, this movie was a correct choice because the project had all the right talent. From the director to producer, we all collaborated on the same vision and were in sync. Whether it’s accepted or rejected, only time will tell.

Do you think being the solo lead as a female actor has put you in a tight spot?

It’s a great spot. If you mean in terms of the pressure of the film doing well or not, it doesn’t just depend on me, a lot of other things have to be right. It has to be written, directed and edited right. There’s no bigger feeling than to see your film do well. We just act out the characters in the film and that is the pressure I can take on. I have never been able to say that the film is working because of me or people have come to see me. No, they are there for the film and that’s always been the larger picture for me.

You recently picked up an injury on the sets of ‘Janhit Mein Jaari’. Does it become difficult to keep up your fitness when you’re occupied all the time?

I have actually lost my fitness level of late. I have been unwell and falling sick since July 2021. I first had a neck injury then a back injury, followed by vertigo and then I sprained my leg, I have been in and out of injuries for months now. I had to take a break after the vertigo episode but in the case of ‘Janhit Mein Jaari’, I was shooting a song when I injured myself and I couldn’t shoot it completely. But, I was on the set the next day and standing on one leg because I couldn’t take a break. My staff held me from the waist while I stood on one leg and shot the scenes.

That sounds painful…

Yeah, but it would have been more painful if the production house lost money on that day, because of me and my injury. I can’t live with that guilt.