Nirup Bhandari has been in the limelight right from his first film, Rangitaranga. However, the four-film-old hero is in no hurry to be gauged by the number of films and wants to take one step at a time. His upcoming film, Window Seat, directed by Sheetal Shetty, is up for release this week, and he is also looking forward to the release of Vikrant Rona on July 28. “Window Seat was ready for release, but we had to wait for the right time to come into theatres, and I’m glad it is going to be finally out on July 1,” says Nirup, who recalls to us how the project, backed by Jack Manjunath, fell on his lap. “I knew Sheetal Shetty was an anchor, but I never knew she had directorial aspirations. I was under the impression that she was recommending me to her friend. It was only after I went to their office, that I got to know that she was directing. It came as a pleasant surprise because I consider ‘direction is a big step’, and it needs a lot of guts to take that decision. I was confident when she narrated the story, and I knew she could pull it off,” says the actor.
Nirup goes on to share that apart from being an actor, he also got involved in the scripting of Window Seat. “It has been my working style from the beginning. From Rangitaranga to Vikrant Rona, my brother and director Anup Bhandari has involved me in the script, and we both discuss every scene. As a writer, I also believe that we should take time and come up with a strong script, which will also help in proper pre-production. With Window Seat, Sheetal allowed me to join her team, and work on the script. I liked the story and the character arc, but I felt that the script needed some more work to package it well. We. as a team, worked on those lines to make a proper commercial film,” he says.
While Window Seat is projected as a thriller and murder mystery, Nirup mentions that the film is also a powerful love story. “I like the emotions that come with romance, and especially the unconditional love showcased by the hero. There are a lot of films, which are thriller based, but the underlying emotions of love are what connected to me, and it will be the case with the audience as well,” says Nirup. The actor tells us that initially, he had reservations about the title because he felt it is not commercially viable. “I didn’t want people to think it was experimental. It is a love story with action, and songs and has all the elements of a commercial drama. Thankfully, the teaser changed my perception,” he says.
Nirup says he wanted to break from the chocolate boy image that has stuck with him since Rangitaranga, and he consciously waited for a role that gave him the scope to play a different character. “Initially, my character was sketched as a bank employee but it was changed as a musician to make it more interesting. I play this reserved guy, who has anger issues, and he is a slight extension of my own persona. The film gave me scope to perform,” he says.
Having done just four films so far, Nirup has already worked with two women directors. After Priya’s Adi Lakshmi Purana, he is now collaborating with Sheetal for Window Seat. “I felt that their perception about direction is different. There is also an opinion that female directors usually helm ‘lighter’ subjects. In my case, both of them glorified me as the hero, and ticked all the requirements of a regular commercial film.”
Does Anup as a brother, and director have a say in all of his projects? “No. But I do discuss my subjects with my father and my brother. They are confident with my decisions. They know that I know films. But at the same time, I know that they are two people I can go to for any advice. I take their advice because they play a big part in my journey. At the same time they have faith in my decision,” he says.
Nirup is also excited about Vikrant Rona. “I’m confident about the role, and the film. Though I have a lot to talk about the role and the film, I will reveal it close to the release date. At this moment, I want to say that Sudeep has been supportive of my career,” signs off Nirup.