In conversation with Sunflower actress, Simran Nerurkar

Simran Nerurkar who made her debut in the recently released Zee5 webseries, Sunflower impressed one and all with her adorable portrayal of Gurleen. The icing on the cake was her ‘besura’ singing in the series that found an altogether different fan base. Bollywoodwallah caught up with this beautiful actress for an exclusive tete-a-tete. Excerpts from the conversation

Simran, many congratulations for Sunflower. You were fabulous as Gurleen. How has the overall response been till now?

Thank you very much for your kind words. The response has been overwhelming. A lot of people I don’t know have been responding so kindly and warmly towards my performance. I have been getting messages like ‘Simran maam, I am your fan’ and it is very strange to be in that position. I think overall the series has been received very well.

How did Sunflower happen? Tell us about the audition?

I am signed with this talent agency called Adore Models and they coordinate for all of my auditions. I signed with them just few months before I got the audition call for Sunflower. I remember my audition very well. It was the besura gaana scene that I had to perform. I was asked to sing -Bawra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna. I really enjoyed myself in that scene during the audition and gave it my all. The casting team made me sing it a lot of times. I think they really enjoyed it as they got their entertainment quotient from that. So the besura singing audition landed me this role.

What was the feeling like after learning about your selection for the series?

It was crazy. I have been trying to land a role as an actor for close to two years now. I remember waking up and seeing the message from my manager and to be honest I couldn’t process it immediately. It took a lot of time for the happy news to sink in. I still don’t think I have come to terms with the fact that this webseries has happened for me.

While auditioning were you aware of the fact that this is a Vikas Bahl series?

Yes, at the time of audition I was aware of the fact that Vikas sir has created this series. But I didn’t know who was part of the starcast until I went for my look test. That is when I found out that Sunil Grover is one of the main leads in the series.

How was your first ever interaction with Vikas Bahl?

I met Vikas sir during the table read and before that I met Rahul (Sengupta) sir who has co-directed the series. My audition tape was seen by both Vikas and Rahul sir together and they both liked it and thought it was very funny. I remember going to the office for the first reading with Sunil (Grover) sir and it was the reading of the corridor scene. I remember Rahul sir was very impressed and he told me, ‘What an audition you gave! That was such good bad singing!” At the table read, Vikas sir came and told me, “Hi, nice to meet you. I am Vikas.” He was very normal, casual and friendly. It was great meeting everyone for the first time. They all were very sweet.

How did you prepare for your role Gurleen? Are you just like your onscreen character in your real life as well?

(Laughs) Gurleen is very innocent, sweet, simple and all of those things which I don’t think I am. But yes, she wants to be a singer and I am a singer in real life. So that’s one similarity. It wasn’t very difficult to play Gurleen. It wasn’t like I had to go a lot out of my comfort zone. A lot of things came naturally while playing that part.

How was bonding with Dayana Erappa?

Our bonding was great. We had the same green room. We usually had the same call time because we had a lot of scenes together. It used to be really early in the morning. So the first we used to do after meeting was have coffee together. Dayana is from Coorg and she knows a lot about her coffee. She didn’t want to drink the ‘Set ka Coffee’. She would bring her own coffee in a large flask and would share it with me and it was very delicious. I actually called Dayana my coffee goddess.

We really would like to know where Gurleen has gone missing and any update on season 2?

(Smiles) I have no idea and even if I knew I would not say anything. My lips are sealed!

Has this good response for your performance translated into good acting offers?

Not yet. May be it is too soon. I am hoping it will lead to good things in future because I do want to work more. But generally we are living in weird times today because nothing is really happening due to the current situation. So to answer your question, It hasn’t exactly translated in to more work yet but it has led to a lot of renewed confidence in me. So now I am all set to take on any challenge that is thrown at me.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how did acting happen?

I am a Mumbaikar and as a child I didn’t have any showbiz dreams as such. I used to perform a lot in school especially singing on important days like Republic Day. I did some plays in school and I used to like doing it a lot. In college, I got a role in a play for a literature festival and that is when I got a real experience on stage, being in character and that in many ways inspired me to take up acting.

Lastly before signing off, tell us one Bollywood actor you would like to romance on screen?

(Pauses and Thinks) Aditya Roy Kapoor. I find him hot!!!