Naiyyandi aside, Naz has Now Moved into Nikkah Mode

Despite controversies, Nazriya seems confident that the Jai-starrer will do wonders for her career

Getting into a gharara for a role that she could easily identify with was no tough task for her, says Nazriya Nazim as she talks about her upcoming film Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah (TEN) opposite Jai.

In fact, it was the first film she signed up for when she was still a school student and extremely doubtful about acting in films. “I heard the script only because the filmmaker approached me. Even when the script was being narrated to me, I was still not sure if I wanted to enter films,” she says.

Almost one-and-a-half years later, Nazriya is glad she went with her heart and took up the role. “A part of it was something I could relate to. Coming from a Malayali-Muslim family, it was a role I was familiar with. But there was much more than that. I learnt a lot about Urdu-speaking Muslims and Tamil muslims,” she adds.

Helmed by debutante filmmaker Anis, TEN is a tale of cultural identities narrated through a breezy love story. With music composed by Ghibran, the film also stars Hebah Patel and Mayilsamy.

2013 has been a topsy-turvy year for Nazriya. Though her small but lovable role as Arya’s girlfriend in Raja Rani was critically and commercially praised, she grabbed the most headlines when she created a furore over some scenes shot with a body double in Dhanush’s Naiyyandi. Having the accused the director of using a body-double to shoot intimate scenes without her knowledge, Nazriya proceeded to register a complaint with the Chennai Commissioner of Police and then withdrew it a day later after the producer and director agreed to a few cuts and some behind-closed-doors compromise. All that appears to be in the past now, as Nazriya was a picture of confidence ahead of TEN’s release.

There were no jitters or fear and it was more about learning the role and the ropes, she laughs. “More than being nervous I was clueless about what I should do next and how it was all going to come about. Jai was already well-known as he had acted in hit films like and Subramanyapuram. The production house is a big one too and the technicians were well known. But, Jai made me feel so comfortable. They all helped me with the language and the role,” she says.

However, the whole experience has been a blur for her. “I don’t remember how I have done each and every scene. Maybe there are a couple of them that could have been done better, but I am glad I approached the project with a fresh mind. The time has come and this is it — we are soon going to see the film,” she says excitedly.

However, Nazriya does not want to reveal too much more about the role she plays, ”It shows how different cultures can be. It also shows us how despite being so different, we can still be one. I can only tell you that much,” says with a wink. Nazriya’s initial fame came when she played the female lead in Alphonse Puthiran’s Neram, a film that went on to be critically acclaimed and did fairly well at the box office. Barely past 18, Nazriya has starred in five Tamil and Malayalam films in 2013 and is slated to act in at least six projects, set to release in 2014.

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