Actress Nitu Chandra, known for films like 'Garam Masala' and 'Traffic Signal' is busy exploring cinema on all fronts. Be it regional or Hollywood, Nitu, who also launched an all-women team production house Champaran Talkies, is one of the few personalities in showbiz, who has not only made a name for herself as an actress but also a sportsperson. The Free Press Journal caught up with her for an exclusive chat.
Nitu represented India thrice at World Taekwondo Championships. She has been honored with the fourth Dan black belt by Korean Embassy, New Delhi, and is closely associated with NBA to promote basketball.
Despite a strong background in sports, Nitu has never been approached for a biopic by Indian filmmakers. Elaborating on the same, she says, “I think it completely depends on how they perceive the character and find which actor resembles the role more. If the right cast is not there, or the actor is not into sports, it doesn’t work. Hopefully, in the future, I might be doing one.”
Nitu's last Hindi film was 'Kucch Luv Jaisaa' (2011). When asked what kept her away from headlining any Bollywood project, she calls it destiny. “There were two Hindi films that were shot and never released. I started doing theatre, and a few films in the south, as well as producing projects from my roots. I also did the Greek film 'Block 12' and a Hollywood film 'Never Back Down: Revolt'. I decided to explore my potential than wait for the release of my Hindi films. If something great comes now, I would surely do it. But my idea is always to do scripts across the globe, doesn't matter what language,” she explains.
Sharing her Hollywood experience, Nitu says, "I was doing back and forth between Mumbai and Los Angeles and I walked into the special screening of Will Smith's 'Bad Boys'. I met my producer Craig Baumgarten and David Zelon and they started saying that their franchise 'Never Back Down' is making its fourth edition. They were looking for women who could fight well so I said 'Oh wow! I'm a black belt 4 times and represented India 3 times in Taekwondo'. That's how I grabbed their attention. I'm now waiting for my two other Hollywood films to release."
Many Bollywood actors are migrating to OTT, which has provided a new lease of life for artists to explore and experiment. Nitu says that she is in talks for the same, but is waiting for the right opportunity. “I believe in good work. I'm in a space of doing less work but quality work. I'm not there to prove anybody. I'm not out of sight or out of mind. It's better to do nothing and chill than do bad work. I personally feel that sometimes there's so much nudity on OTT which I'm quite cognitive about whether and how much I should be doing or not. But you will surely see me soon,” she concludes.
