Chitrangada Satarupa is gearing up for the theatrical release of ‘Lead Actor Nahin Hoon’, in which she plays the lead opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actress said the film gave her the opportunity to work with one of her favorite artists, but the script quickly became the biggest attraction.
She also spoke about feeling embarrassed playing a tough character who bullies Nawazuddin’s character over video calls, and criticized the industry’s increasing focus on Instagram followers while casting.
Chitrangada Satarupa as “Lead Actor Nahin Hoon” and Nawazuddin Siddiqui
In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Chitrangada said that director Aditya Kripalani first approached her to play the lead role two years ago. She had earlier worked with him in his debut film ‘Tikli And Laxmi Bomb’, but he asked her to audition. She recalled asking him: “I’ve worked with you many times, and I still need to test?”
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Chitrangada said that Aditya sent the full script, which helped her understand the character better.
She said: “Initially, I was excited about the film because it would give me an opportunity to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. But after reading the script, this reason became secondary.”The film was shot in Mumbai and Frankfurt, with Chitrangada in Mumbai and Nawazuddin in Germany. Both units coordinated work calls and time zones, making the process feel like a play, she said.She described Nawazuddin as an “absolute genius” and said that his simple performance prompted her to highlight the ugliness in her role.
“I was a little embarrassed about it. He was my favorite actor,” she said. “During the call, I not only behave badly, but I also bully him.” She added, “I was afraid that Mr. Nawaz would hate me because he thought that was how I was in real life as well.”
Chitrangada Satarupa on choosing followers on Instagram
Chitrangada also spoke about casting actors based on their social media reach. She said actors are often asked to share their Instagram profiles during auditions. “This is true, unfortunately, but not for all projects,” she said.She criticized the practice and added: “Picking someone based on followers is a bit weak because people follow you for your GRWM videos or other content. They won’t go and watch your show or movie because that audience is completely different.”“Lead Actor Nahin Hoon” deals with acting, human relationships, mental health and loneliness, Chitrangada said. She described its theatrical release as rare for a film of this genre today, comparing it to films such as The Lunchbox.