Niharica Raizada
Sunday Interview
I want a music production company, a hospital, a research centre, several cinema halls and an international filmography: Niharica Raizada
Niharica Raizada is today among the prominent rising Bollywood actresses of India. She has acted in many bollywood movies and her acting skills are getting wide appreciation. She has featured in films like Masaan and Total Dhamaal and was seen in recent super hit movie Sooryavanshi, playing an anti-terrorist female squad officer.
Niharica was crowned as Miss India UK 2010 and was runner-up at Miss India Worldwide 2010. To her credit, she is also a cardiologist. Besides, she also carries a legacy, being the granddaughter of former Bollywood musician (late) O. P. Nayyar.
In an exclusive interview with Global Bihari, she talks to Rameez Makhdoomi* in Srinagar.
Q. A bit about your early days?
A. I am a Europe born Indian. Luxembourgish people like to mind their own business. We are reserved, and happy in our space. A lot of Luxembourg exists within me in that sense. I’m independent, and respect others’ privacy. I had a very multi-cultural upbringing. My youth was spent with Dutch, German, French, Spanish, English, Italian and Belgian people. So, I have very strong European mannerisms. I think that shaped me well to be a global citizen.
Q. How You are a cardiologist and a Fulbright Scholar in Cardiology. Have you left it entirely?
A.I have done 175 on-pump bypass surgeries as a second assistant. But I moved from Luxembourg to the UK (where I won Miss India UK) to India because I wanted to live in this country and pursue my passion for the arts and movies. Although I have not completely left cardiology but entertainment industry remains now my forte .
Q. How do you know so many languages?
A. All Luxembourgish people know minimum 5 European languages. I am no exception. It is part of our culture to learn these languages. Coming to India, I was exposed to Punjabi, Marathi and Gujarati, which I can understand fairly well. I’m a polyglot, and I love it. I love to speak to people in their own mother tongue. It’s a great conversation booster.
Q. Has family legacy been helpful or it has been the other way around?
A. Not at all to be honest. You are as successful as you have the ambition to be. I’m fairly ambitious but I won’t compromise on my personality to gain fame, and I don’t run after money either. I’ve been a very slow starter and I’m proud of my journey. I would love to see things speed along. But luck plays a huge factor, and I’m more hardworking than lucky, and my family heritage didn’t help me in this regard. My relentless, persevering attitude was my main driving force.
Q. How do you view the Sooryavanshi success?
A. Huge, it’s a big film, great production house, and a franchise which is here to stay. Rohit Shetty has created an incredible cop universe and I’m very proud to be a part of it. Also, I have a very strong patriotic streak in me, so it was incredible to essay the role of an Anti-Terrorist-Squad officer on screen.
Q. What is your take on web series taking over other forms of entertainment?
A. Great, they’re like sitcoms, soaps and serials. I prefer to act in films though which will release in the Cinema Hall first, that has been and will always be my modus operandi, and I will not change that desire of mine for anyone. I love to act in films and be exclusively found on the big screen.
Q.Your future goals?
A. I want a Music production company, a Hospital, a Research Centre, several Cinema Halls and an International filmography.
Q.You are quite down to earth with all, how has that approach come?
A. I am a people’s person, and I think you have to stay humble, people are fake, those whose attitude is bigger than their personas. I’m a normal human being with goals. My goals differ from yours but my humanness doesn’t differ from others. We are eventually all very similar, and we should treat each other with respect and love.
Q.Your favourite personalities?
A. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr Ben Carson, Professor Dorian Haskard, Dr Ramakanta Panda, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Keanu Reeves and Kate Winslet.
Q. How do you find Kashmir as a place?
A. I wanted to stay there forever. If I was Kashmiri, I would never live anywhere else in the world. I really like Kashmir, love it in fact. I would love to make it my home. But I don’t know where destiny will take me.
*Rameez Makhdoomi is a Srinagar based journalist
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