Actor Nikhil Angrish has described his experience of working with Mrunal Thakur and Vijay Raaz in the crime drama ‘Pooja Meri Jaan’ as a memorable opportunity, praising both actors for their craft and contribution to the film.
Nikhil said he was particularly impressed by Mrunal’s ability to portray a wide range of emotions. He recalled admiring her work since ‘Super 30’ and said meeting her on the sets revealed her positive confidence and energy.
“At the outset, I was just glad to be a part of this film, which has such fine actors. You will see their brilliant craft in this film,” he said, adding that watching the completed film made him appreciate the range of emotions Mrunal brought to her character.
Nikhil also described sharing the screen with Vijay Raaz as a dream come true. Having grown up watching the veteran actor’s films, he said he closely observed his approach to scenes and dialogue delivery.
According to Nikhil, Vijay could bring intense seriousness to one line and unexpectedly create uncomfortable laughter with the next, adding depth and value to a scene.
Nikhil revealed that the film’s working title was ‘Dear Pooja’ and that he was offered the role of Mayank Joshi after an unexpected audition. He was auditioning for another project at a casting studio when the Castingbay Mumbai team asked him to read for the role.
Although he requested a day to prepare, he was told it was the final day of auditions before the team returned to Mumbai. He was given about an hour to prepare and auditioned for the part. A few days later, he received confirmation that he had been selected.
For his preparation as Mayank, Nikhil said he had time to study his portion of the script and participated in reading sessions with Navjot and Vipasha Arvind. They helped him understand Mayank’s background, his earlier experiences involving Pooja and how he eventually dealt with them, including the account he gives in the courtroom.
‘Pooja Meri Jaan’, which also stars Huma Qureshi and Vikram Singh Chauhan, was released on ZEE5 on October 2.
Nikhil Angrish has previously appeared in projects including ‘Sam Bahadur’, ‘Paatal Lok Season 2’, ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ and ‘Gaanth: Chapter 1’.