After her latest success as Niloufer in the web series Jubilee, offers have been pouring in for Wamiqa Gabbi from the Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi film industries. The actress, who played Kareena Kapoor’s sister in Jab We Met as a child artiste, has already worked in all these industries, and seems to be on a good wicket now. She talks to DC about the road that has brought her to her current position.
Q. Tell us about your early struggles.
I have been living in Mumbai for almost 9 years now and I am playing some amazing characters. I don’t see my life as a struggle. It was a process. I had a comfortable mattress to sleep on, and never went to bed hungry. Though I am not from a rich family, I had their full support, as my father was super cool about my career and wanted me to do whatever I wanted to do.
I was a pampered child. People compared my eyes to Aishwarya Rai’s eyes. I was very confident and secure. I imagined that everyone in Mumbai was waiting to cast me in their projects, and was in high spirits. But after reaching Mumbai I understood the harsh realities of life and this profession.
Q. How did you handle it?
I quickly matured and became worldly-wise. Earlier, I would always compare myself with others, wondering why an actor, who I felt wasn’t good at acting, was getting many projects while I was not. Negativity and jealousy seeped into me. I wished I had been born into a rich Bollywood family, and wondered if I would ever get to play the lead in a film.
Q. We hear you were planning to leave Mumbai?
In 2019 I decided to return to Punjab. I didn’t want to be here doing nothing till I turned 40. It was then that I got Vishal Bhardwaj’s project. And I did a workshop with Atul Mongia. Life started changing from there. I’m now enjoying acting. I am not insecure because I am working and in a happy phase.
Q. You made your father proud.
My father Govardhan Gabi says, ‘Mujhe pata tha yeh sab karogi tum!’ He is a writer from Punjab. It was he who named me Wamiqa. I met Anubhav Sinha recently, and he asked me the meaning of my name — ‘It means Goddess of Wind.’ It is an Arabic name. My father told me the meaning. He wanted me to participate in the show Zindigi Isi Ka Naam Hai, hosted by Faroque Sheikh. I feel my dad had an intuition that I would be in showbiz.
Q. How did you bag the Jubilee role?
I auditioned, was shortlisted, did a look test, and then auditioned with the director. It went great. But after a few weeks I was told to release the dates as it wasn’t working out. This was before the pandemic. I then put it out of my mind. After the pandemic, Aparshakti messaged me saying I was Niloufer and asking me to message Vikram Sir. I did that, and was supposed to meet him at his office. But before I could do so, I was informed by the casting people that I had been finalised for the role. I was pleasantly surprised. I never got to speak to Vikram Sir about Jubilee, I don’t know what went through his mind, but I got the part.
Q. Talking of Aparshakti, both of you were relatively lesser known, but you both acted brilliantly…
Yes, it feels nice that even though we are considered newcomers, we are getting work. Aparshakti has actually been working in the industry for a long time, and I have been working in regional industries. It’s our experience that helped us handle difficult roles like Niloufer. I feel satisfied with my journey so far.
Q. Is the industry similar to what is portrayed in the show — ruthless, ugly, mean?
There are all kinds of people in the industry. If it was as ruthless and mean as it is made out to be, no one would be working in it. Jo khubsurti hai artistes aur craft ki... we all create together; so I feel it’s team work. I think this is true of every industry. We are all human beings working together in different situations.
Q. How do you see your life after the success of Jubilee?
Bahut maza aa rha hai! I feel I am in the best phase of my life.
I am living a dream. Working with Tabuji on director Vishal Bhardwaj’s sets is like a dream being fulfilled. It was my dream to work with her, I am her fangirl.
Q. You’ve been getting a lot of praise recently. Has that changed the industry’s perception of you?
People started taking me seriously professionally after Grehan released. I started getting calls for auditions. Definitely, jaise jaise aapka kam pasand aata hai things generally change for you. It’s a beautiful feeling, getting offers because my work has spoken for me.
