EXCLUSIVE: Jubilee actress Wamiqa Gabbi on the Baahubali prequel: I’m waiting for them to restart

Vikramaditya Motwane paid an ode to the retro era in Hindi cinema with his series Jubilee that released last month. The show featured an ensemble cast consisting of Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sidhant Gupta, Wamiqa Gabbi, Nandish Sandhu and Ram Kapoor. It became an instant rage garnering praise from all over.

Recently, actress Wamiqa Gabbi got in an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble where she opened up on the show’s success. She spoke about her character Niloufer Qureshi, her struggles in Mumbai, rejections and more. The actress also gave an update on the Baahubali prequel series that she was to feature in. The show was shelved indefinitely, but Wamiqa is hopeful for it. Excerpts from the interview:

How has been the appreciation coming for Jubilee, especially considering it has an ensemble cast?

“I can’t describe the feeling because it has never happened before with me. But I really enjoyed shooting for the show and my excitement and nervousness started from there. Experiencing and living Niloufer was my high. Now that Jubilee has released and we are getting all this love, I understand why because I loved shooting for it. Amidst all these great names, when my name is being mentioned, it’s just very overwhelming. I am sometimes in disbelief too that are people really liking me?”

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The emotional graph that Niloufer shows is relatable yet heart wrenching. What kind of a toll did it take on you living such a character?

“Every character is complex and yes, it does take a toll on you but that is why I am an actor. I love taking that journey and being affected by my characters, physically and mentally. If I am getting affected by them, it means I am understanding them. But Niloufer is such a fun character. She has her problems but don’t we all have issues in our lives?

Some people can get bitter and sad because of their issues but Niloufer isn’t one of those people. She will take everything head on and still find the curiosity and fun in it. So, there was so much to learn from her. She is a queen and accepts life as it comes and it was so inspiring about her.”

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One of the most striking thing about Niloufer is that when she goes to audition, she says that she will say Madan Kumar’s lines. In a male-dominated era, to show an empowered woman like Niloufer, was it empowering for you too?

“Niloufer has always lived her life in a way where she is the queen. She hasn’t lived a life where a man is controlling her. So, when she goes to audition in that scene, there is no gender-bias in her mind. For her to say Madan Kumar’s dialogue is not empowering, it’s normal. It’s the reactions from others that make it empowering.

Before coming to Mumbai, I was very pampered. My father gave me all the freedom but it never felt like something out of the blue. So, when I came to Mumbai, the bubble kind of popped. I got rejected a lot of times and then I realised the gender-bias.”

Before Jubilee, people knew that there is an actress named Wamiqa Gabbi. But post the show, do you feel that they have associated a face and value to the name Wamiqa Gabbi?

“Definitely. Shows like Jubilee don’t get made often. My Instagram and Twitter bio reads ‘I am that girl you have seen somewhere but can’t remember where,’ as I related to it. But after the show, a lot of people have messaged me saying ‘Wamiqa please change your bio. Now we know who you are.’ Nobody had said this to me before.”

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Niloufer is also an outsider trying to become an actress like Wamiqa Gabbi. Did you notice any similarities between their struggles?

“It’s hard to make your place and make people know you exist in a city where it’s all about the people already working in the industry, their kids, friends and relatives. But my struggle was different from Niloufer’s because I had full support from my family. I don’t come from a very rich family but my father never made me feel like he can’t afford my dreams. And that was a big relief for me and it always kept me sane. Niloufer never had that but she is much stronger than me.”

Just like Jubilee, you had another big show, the Baahubali prequel series, but it didn’t get made. You had also started prep for it. Was it a little disheartening leaving that behind?

“Well, I am happy that I started prepping for it because it is very cool to learn Kalaripayattu and all the action. But I won’t say that they have completely left it. I am just waiting for them to restart because that is such a beautiful story. I hope they make it.”

You have worked a lot on the OTT medium. Now that it has reached a place of its own, do you some times feel scared of getting segregated as an OTT actor?

“I would have been worried about it if films in theatres would have been working really well. Theatrical films haven’t been doing as well as before the pandemic. So, OTT has been a relief for everyone. So many theatrical stars have come on OTT. But because of the present scenario, even people are not categorising actors on the basis of medium. And all my regional films have been theatrical, so OTT is kind of new to me.”

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You and Sidhant were to do another show together which didn’t happen. But you got to work in Jubilee together, that too paired opposite each other. Did it feel like it was written in the stars for you two?

“For sure. We were supposed to do Midnight’s Children and then Baahubali prequel too. I remember us talking like ‘oh, it is happening this time.’ Even for Jubilee, I was rejected at first but I was like, at least Sidhant is doing it. But Sidhant was so disheartened that I didn’t get Niloufer and then eventually I did. And it was beautiful how it all happened.”

It’s quite surprising to hear you were rejected as Niloufer first…

“When I met Vikram sir for the very first time, I had seen his films and was being all graceful and nice. But Niloufer isn’t just graceful. She is funny and chhichhori also. She abuses in her first scene as well. So, Vikram sir didn’t see that side of me. But when the pandemic happened, he finally got on Instagram and started following me. He saw my reels on Chamkila’s songs where I was doing all the nakhras. After watching it, he told me he got to know that I was so ‘chhichhori’ and my sense of humour is so good. That’s when he saw I was his Niloufer.”

Also Read: Jubilee REVIEW: Vikramaditya Motwane gives a nuanced glimpse of the golden era of Hindi films with some stellar performances