Triptii Dimri bedazzled you with her seminal acting in both Bulbbul and Qala. She played complex characters in both films, women who dealt with trauma every day, till it engulfed them. They weren’t easy parts to play but Triptii made the acting look easy. Ironically, she became the darling of the masses after playing Ranbir Kapoor’s lover in Animal. It wasn’t a big role – she was barely there for not more than 15 minutes, but it was enough to skyrocket her fame. Though she’s loving every minute of it, she says all she ever wanted was to be known for her acting skill and it’s great that fame has found her after she made her mark as an actor. Excerpts from a bare-all interview.
Coming to Animal, tell us your first reaction you had when the film came to you.
I was shooting for a hair oil advertisement and the assistant told me that there’s this director who wants to cast you opposite Ranbir Kapoor. When good things start to happen in your life, you become unsure and you don’t want to believe them too soon. A lot of that was running through my head and I told myself not to get too excited. I kept on saying that things can still change, so be calm. But when I got a final yes, everybody around me was so happy. It was a dream come true for me because I’ve always wanted to share screen space with Ranbir. Also with Vicky Kaushal and Rajkummar Rao, for that matter.
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What would you tell Triptii from Laila Majnu today?
If I get to speak to the Triptii that I was when I did Laila Majnu, I would just tell her to take each day as it comes. Don’t stress too much about what’s happening, because I remember at the time I used to be stressed a lot because I had limited knowledge of acting. I was in a new world where a lot of things were alien to me. I used to keep trying to figure things out. Many times, after doing a scene, there used to be a lot of dissatisfaction about whether I’d done well or not. It’s a process of growing and learning, so take it as it is. That’s the one lesson I have learned.
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So you’re saying you would question yourself a lot?
One is always unsure and not confident starting out. So I think I was like that. When I was shooting for Laila Majnu, it helped me grow as an actor because I think if that curiosity and hunger weren’t there, then I wouldn’t have shown any interest in acting at all.
When did that confidence come? What did it take?
I think it happened post-Bulbbul. When that film was released, I think something changed within me. Until then, I was unsure. I had a lot of fun on the shoot and I was pretty confident when I was working, but I was still unsure. Anvita Dutt was always there to guide me, but that feeling is still there. What if people don’t connect with the character? I’m giving my 100 percent, but what if it doesn’t come through? But luckily, when the film came out, a lot of people watched it and they could connect with Bulbbul, and that’s the point where I became confident. This is the day I was waiting for because I remember having this conversation with Sajid Ali. He asked me once while we were shooting for Laila Majnu, and I wasn’t able to crack some scenes, and he said, ‘What kind of actress do you want to be?’ I told him that I don’t care about fame, but I want to be respected as an actor. And if I get that, I’ll be happy and Bulbbul gave me that.
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Avinash Tiwary recently told us in an interview how you’re extremely close to his family because you started together.
I was new to Mumbai. And when you’re in Mumbai, you kind of feel homesick all the time. So his mom used to make food for me and send it to me. It was sweet of her. And Avinash also helped me a lot with the scenes because he could see that I was nervous and he’s been acting for 14 years. He was extremely good at his craft. He would just be sitting and talking about the craft, and I would just be sitting there blank. I had no idea, and he could see that on my face. He supported me at that point. He’s the one who advised me to go to an acting workshop. He asked me to go and see if this works for you because this is where I started, and it helped me look at acting in a completely different light. Till then, I thought acting was just standing in front of a camera and saying your lines, and that’s about it. Nothing about emotions or putting yourself out there. But the workshop changed a lot of things for me.
Director Anvita Dutt and you must share a special bond after Bulbbul and Qala.
With her, I was introduced to a different style of acting. To build a character’s life from the age of five to the age that’s shown in the film, which was so different. Till then, I was looking at characters as characters and you start with whatever scene is there in the film. But she was the one who introduced me to making backstories for the characters so that you know your characters as well as you know yourself. She’s given me a process that I follow now with everything that I do and every character that I play. Even if it’s a different director, I make sure that I follow the process that was given to me. She had helped me so much with Bulbbul. Some characters truly stay with you. It takes time to detach yourself from those characters. And I feel Bulbbul was something else.
Did the film impact your mental well-being?
It was difficult because it was my first intense character and I got into it. There was a time when the shoot was done and I was just on my bed and I could see the canopy that was there in Bulbbul’s room and I would constantly think about the character. I had cried so much on the last day of the shoot because everyone had started calling me Bulbbul, and I was like, from tomorrow on, no one is going to call me by this name anymore. With Qala, it was a little easier because you also realised that you couldn’t keep doing this. You can’t keep being so attached to your character.
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Are there memories from your personal life that draw upon while acting?
When you’re trying to think of a memory, you go back to your childhood, to the time when you couldn’t express yourself and didn’t know how to express yourself. I was bullied when I was in school and I didn’t tell my parents. I could not go and tell them because I was someone who never liked going to school. And I thought if I told them this, then they would feel like she was just making an excuse to not go to school. I was horrible at my studies. And I had toppers in my family, so there was a lot of pressure. You get used to being a certain way. You get used to not seeking attention, not trying to talk to a lot of people and not trying to make new friends. I had become that person until I met my best friend in the 9th grade and then things changed. But right now, I can say that I’m in a place where, when I look back, it doesn’t make me sad. I think I’ve got the closure I needed through acting.
Would you sit down and discuss this all with your parents today?
They would probably laugh today. I run away from arguments. I run away from confrontations because the minute I open my mouth, the tears start pouring. And I don’t like to be in a position like that, so I usually avoid any such conversations.
We’re going to see you on screen with Vicky Kaushal soon…
He’s quite understanding and gives you your space, which is important. I was new and nervous. When you’re acting with big stars, you take a backseat because you keep thinking, Am I being too friendly or too distant? These were the initial questions on my mind, but then, Vicky, he’s like a full-on Punjabi. He is very committed to his work. He’s someone who made me feel comfortable. He’s secure as an actor. I was told that good actors are those who believe in making the scene look good rather than focusing on their performance, which I believe is so important and such a great lesson for me to learn. Usually, when you’re acting, you tend to get a little selfish about your scenes and performances. You have to be aware of what your co-actor is doing, or else the scene will fall flat. That worked out with Vicky.
What’s your definition of love and what would your ideal partner be like?
Honestly, like every other girl, I was only looking for a good-looking man earlier. But now I think I would look for someone who’s understanding and caring not only about me but for the people around me. The guy has to be gentle and soft-spoken, for sure. In a relationship, there’s always one who’s more dominant, but I would want someone who sees me as an equal. I hope I can find someone with whom I can balance out that equation.
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