Wamiqa Gabbi, a Chandigarh native who is currently enjoying the success of the web series Jubilee, claims that OTT has provided many opportunities for newbies.

Playing a heroine of yesteryear for new generation girl like Wamiqa Gabbi you might think would be a Herculean task. Fun may not be a word you would associate with her layered performance of Nilofer in mega-series Jubilee. But Wamiqa, our Chandigarh di kuddi, the bubby Punjaban who has been vowing viewers with her stellar act in Jubilee not only found exploring her character fun, she dubs working with filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane a fun experience too. Fit & fine “My fitness secret involves drinking lots of water, following detox diets and keeping the gut healthy.” Sure her character is complex. “But then we all are, who among us is simple?” she quizzes. Clearly Motwane has a painstaking eye for detail and prior to signing up for Jubilee, she was told he is indeed rather stern and strict. But not once during the one year shoot did she see him lose his temper. On his creative process, she shares, “Whatever prep Motwane sir has to do, he does it during workshops. Once the shoot begins he is already in a different zone, in the world he has created in his mind.” Doing her homework well As for her entering the Jubilee world, well she did catch up on movies like Mughal-e-Azam, Pakeezah and even Dilip Kumar-starrer Devdas. But more than movies she tuned into songs of 1940s and 50s. So immersed was she in the music of the bygone era that most songs are today on her playlist and she joyfully hums, “Dheere dheere chal chaand gagan mein.” If being a Motwane heroine has been an overwhelming experience, she is equally overjoyed that she has been chosen to play significant roles in not one but four projects of gifted director Vishal Bhardwaj. In Bhardwaj’s OTT debut Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel The Sittaford Mystery, she is the titular character Charlie. She also gets to rub shoulders with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta and Ratna Pathak Shah. As she almost pinches herself, “Is it true”, she adds, “Working with such great filmmakers as Vishal and Ranjan Chandel (Grahan) has taught me that you don’t have to just work on your character but evolve as a person and human being. I have also learnt how important it is to be empathetic, sensitive and vulnerable as a person to be able to play the wide range of characters.” Of course, she began her career with yet another top notch director Imtiaz Ali. From a bit part in Jab We Met to lead role in Jubilee, she has indeed come a long way. Whether she identifies with the struggle of Nilofer, she muses, “Her struggle is unlike mine, for I have had a beautiful family to protect and take care of me.” In fact, what has kept her going all these years is love of not just her family. but that of the film industry. “Faith in your ability too is a form of love.” Today as more and more makers are reposing faith in her talent and she is deluged with offers, her only fear is, “I hope to choose well and find the courage to say yes to the right parts and no to the not-so- significant ones.” Heart’s wish Though she does not have any plans for future, on the top of her wish list is, “to play lead in Imtiaz sir’s film.” No she is not being greedy or over-ambitious. Working with Imtiaz Ali is something very personal for her. It’s where she began (Jab We Met), he was the one who told her — ‘finish your studies and come to Bombay’. Though, nothing has been signed on the dotted line yet, she has sent out a signal to the universe and she is positive her dream will come true soon. Meanwhile, she is busy with her upcoming projects and her six dogs at home. On OTT, the medium where she is making her mark, she says, “OTT has become the de facto family for outsiders as it provides opportunities to newcomers, just the way filmy family kids get.” She, however, has no designs on future, quoting from Osho, “Aasha se hi nirasha hoti hai,” she is not letting fame sway her off her feet. As for the answer to the ultimate question, do we get to see the second season of Jubilee, she promises, “As and when it happens I would be the first one to post it on Instagram.”