Exclusive - Excuse Me Madam's Nyra Banerjee on doing sensuous roles and fear of getting typecast: I have stopped bothering about it

Divya Drishti actress Nyra Banerjee is elated to do her next show Excuse Me Madam. The actress plays the role of a boss in the upcoming comedy show. Nyra did an exclusive live chat with ETimes TV on Instagram and spoke about the show, shared her experience about shooting with co-actor Rajesh Kumar, actors taking pay cuts and social media trolls. She also talked about the fact whether she is comfortable doing bold scenes on television, featuring on the 14th rank in the Times Top 20 Most Desirable Women on TV 2019, and much more. Read the excerpts from this interview: (By: Gayatri Nirmal)

Lockdown has been different for different people. Some people have been very sad, some have been happy. I was one of those, who just completed my show (Divya Drishti) and was waiting for a month of holiday where I could finish the pending work that I wanted to do, and then one month became so many months. And, sitting at home, you internalise, you think why you exist in this world and what are your actual capabilities. You try your hands at everything and then you realise that you are good at so many things and can create magic like this. I held a police campaign, I did as much donation as I could. Utilised the time in learning music, couldn't dance. I really miss working out at the gym. It's been more than a year that I haven't seen the face of the gym. I did yoga. I have been doing it for ages. I learned yoga at a very little age. So, that flexibility has always helped me in my life. I do my stretches, go for a walk. Basically, this was a holiday for me, it's just that I missed working. As soon as the lockdown got over, I straight jumped to the set. I'm so blessed and happy. (Photo: Instagram)

Interestingly, because of my surname 'Banerjee,' I would get called 'Madam ji' by my college friends. There is a lot of comparison with the show, May I Come in Madam? because it sounds similar or from the same production, but here it's not the same. Here, the madam is the boss, who has come down from the UK and is figuring out about how to establish her business here. She's a very hoity-toity and I can handle everything, nothing affects me, things like that. Pretty much like how I am in real life. (Photo: Instagram)

Everything affects and everything matters. It's just that I don't show it. I've learnt it the hard way. The more you show, the more you create issues for yourself. The matured Nyra is exactly what I would portray on the screen. I will not say that this is a cakewalk for me unlike what people say. The role otherwise is very different. In every episode, there is a big challenge and if you don't play it convincingly, it won't look good. And, acting that is not easy. (Photo: Instagram)

He's the most favourite Rosesh (Rajesh Kumar's character from Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai). I've seen the show for so long, and when I first met him, he's so not-like Rosesh. He's so different and opposite to his onscreen character. So, the first time he met me. He said, 'Tumhara mask neeche karo, mujhe tumhari shakal dekhni hai' (Lift your mask, I want to see your face). I felt like I have come to school and they are going to bully me. He's so sweet, and he made me feel comfortable. Although I've done a lot of work down South and films, it's new for the TV industry. So, it's important for the male actor and the female actor to make each other feel comfortable, and he did that. The scenes are so amazing and while reading we laugh so much that we forget we've got to shoot too. (Photo: Instagram)

I didn't expect that at all!. A very very close college friend of mine sent me the list and said, 'Dude, Nyra, you're on the 20 Most Desirable list.' And I went, 'WHATTT?' I checked out the list and realised that I am the only newcomer. So, that thing got me really excited that I am the only newcomer out of the entire lot and 1 show (Divya Drishti) gave me so much love and popularity. Imagine if my casting director hadn't forced me on taking up this show, I would not experience all this. So, yeah, this was a beautiful surprise to me. I loved it. (Photo: Instagram)

Earlier I was scared of being typecast when I was doing Telugu films and in every scene, I was shown as the 'Ghar ki bahu.' Down South, they do not imagine me in anything but saree, who is very traditional. In Bollywood they've always seen me as this glamorous and pretty-looking, hot, who can just be dolled up. I have stopped bothering about being typecast. My first show, it had all the traits. I was a biker chick, college chick, Indian. I was elegant wearing sarees, salwar suits, I had all of it. I'm so grateful for Divya Drishti that I can play any kind of character in any attire. I don't think they will typecast me. But, in Excuse Me Madam, this role is about the boss. Now, she's not going to wear a saree in office. But, I will have scenes outside, where I will wear a saree or a salwar or something else. The main focus should be on doing your art well and not getting typecast. (Photo: Instagram)

The last show that I had watched was 'Woh rehne vali mehlon ki' after that I did not watch any show because everything was about 'Oh, the bahu is doing like this,' 'Oh, the saas does like this,' 'Oh, this is happening in that house.' I do not relate to such kind of stories because internally I am a very open-minded girl. 'Bahu hai, pati hai, jo bhi hai, insaan hai.' People do make mistakes but they should be taught with love. In television, those stories are made because they want to create drama, and in real-life, I am a very non-dramatic person. So, I will not relate to it. I am a very straight-forward kind of person. I do know how much changes have happened but when I got Divya Drishti, I could understand that this show was somewhere close to the web format, that's why I was very excited and I was like 'Yeh toh mere Jaise hi ho gaya.' I'm from the film and web background. So, I'm somewhere like this. I was sure I'm not going to get that bahu vali feeling. That got me excited and I took it. (Photo: Instagram)

Honestly, I auditioned for a web show. I did not get selected for it but I was told by the casting director that a very big creative directors have really liked your tape. He told me that this is a six months show, and 'You have not done TV. You have done movies and web, and I really feel it could have taken you somewhere where you have not reached. Every house has a TV, you will be at everybody's house and this will help you to catch out on the popularity you deserve.' So, I did not see whether I should do supernatural or not because I love superpowers and supernatural shows. I had not studied the TV industry that way because it was not planned. I did not plan to be a TV actor. I thought it was a six months show, stability of six months. Every child has had the dream of having superpowers and have grown up watching Spiderman, superman, and they've always wanted to explore this side. So, I thought it's going to be fun. And, I did it. Anything you do with love and positivity, it won't hamper you personally or mentally. (Photo: Instagram)

I haven't seen a single negative troll about me and I am really thankful. Speaking about other actors being trolled, 'Guys, we all are living our lives to figure out, what is our life about. Every human being has different experiences, every person comes from a different background, different adaptations, different upbringing, which reflects their actions and behaviour.' So, everyone is experiencing something or the other. So, trolling karke kisika mazaak na hi udaao toh achha hai. It's that person's life, their karma, their life, they'll live it and figure it. You don't make situations more difficult and negative for them. Because, you will do it but the people who are watching this, it will affect them. (Photo: Instagram)

There is a very fine line. We have professionalism, which is the most important factor but in real life I am very shy. I had very few scenes in Divya Drishti also, which you can't call it as bold scenes, there was hardly any intimacy, but still, I used to be pretty shy doing that. But, then again, you have to train your mind if the scene is important. Whenever I sit with the director, I ask, 'Why do we have this scene?' And, in the course, if it's really important, then I will discuss that these are my boundaries, and I will not be able to do more than this. And, if it is necessary then you have to convince me that it is necessary, then only I'll do it. Because I know that this is a form of affection that you are showing. It is a part of the story. 'Faltu mein daal diya aise hi eyeballs daalne ke liye, I don't go for such things.' I like true stories. So, that is the time when you have to bring professionalism in picture and ask if it's important to portray this emotion. If it's not happening in any other way then we'll do it. You just have to talk it out and share your apprehensions. (Photo: Instagram)

I'm aware of the fact that many actors are working for a very very less price. When I came to TV, the kind of money I was quoting for web and movies was way higher than what I got in my first show. It's TV after all, and I was a new person in TV. So, they gave me the whole thing about the budget. It was everything v/s the money, and I chose everything. Today, because of that everything I am where I am. Now also, I will not say that I did not get my price. I am happy with the kind of price that I have got. I am not trying to say that I am lucky. I am just trying to say that I am somebody, who understands the situation, and even the producer has understood that this person is going to work really hard, and she needs to be happy. So, we both come to an amount, which is comfortable for both of us. So, I am happy. Even though I could have quoted a lot more but I am happy and satisfied with the kind of money that I have got. (Photo: Instagram)

A lot of people have lost their jobs and are still struggling. This is a phase, which most of us are going through but keep your sanity and adversity quotient intact Even if everything is good in your life. Bad comes after a good, and the cycle continues. Problems are always going to be there. It's up to you, how you handle the situation. So, just be positive, be happy, and be clear of emotional baggages, that will help you to move straight in your life. If you move ahead with negative emotional 'baggages', it will shake your mental stability. So, keep yourself mentally strong. (Photo: Instagram)