Mona
A huge fan of crime dramas, documentaries and thrillers, actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who hails from Chandigarh, is elated about starring in a mystery thriller next — Vishal Bhardwaj’s directorial Charlie Chopra amp; The Mystery Of Solang Valley, which is based on Agatha Christie’s The Sittaford Mystery.
While web shows Grahan, Mai: A Mother’s Rage and Modern Love (Mumbai and Chennai) were popular, it was her Nilofer act in Jubilee that got widespread acclaim.
Wamiqa had no hesitation in choosing the role of Charlie Chopra as Vishal Bhardwaj was on the director’s seat, but there was more to it. “It’s the title role and boasts of an amazing cast, including Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta and Ratna Pathak Shah. Also, it is an adaption of Agatha Christie’s novel,” says Wamiqa. Her fourth project with Bhardwaj, including Khufia, Fursat, Modern Love Mumbai, and now Charlie, Wamiqa couldn’t be happier!
In the Himachal hills
Charlie Chopra amp; The Mystery Of Solang Valley was shot in the idyllic settings of Himachal Pradesh. “It was surreal to be out there in snow, but difficult to shoot. The first day was especially challenging, as it was terribly cold. We were using hot water bottles to warm our faces in order to deliver dialogues.”
A huge fan of thrillers and crime documentaries, Wamiqa is happy to star in one, “It’s not just another whodunit. It’s a Vishal Bhardwaj project, which comes with its own quirks.”
OTT gave Wamiqa’s career a new spin. “Ever since Grahan, which was an amazing experience, as I shot with brilliant director Ranjan Chandel, only amazing thing are happening to me.” Jubilee turned out to be another hit. “I am so happy at the response Jubilee received. My life has definitely taken a beautiful turn. The amount of attention and love that I have got after Jubilee is just crazy.”
Language no bar
Wamiqa has worked in different languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Punjabi, and also in different formats ndash; long and short. So, how does she choose? “For me, it’s very important that the character I am going to essay touches my heart. If it doesn’t, even if it is a big-ticket project, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy or put my heart into it.” Even more important for her is the director. “I have to click with the director. It makes a lot of difference,” says Wamiqa.
Back-to-back projects have kept her busy and she hasn’t got a chance to visit her hometown, Chandigarh. But soon after Charlie’s release, followed by that of Khufia, she plans to spend time at home. In Khufiya, she shares screen space with Tabu and Ali Fazal, while in VD18 it is with Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh.
Meanwhile, Charlie Chopra amp; The Mystery Of Solang Valley is set to stream on Sony LIV on September 27.