Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies has been in the spotlight ever since it was announced on Monday as India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars.
One of the most excited voices is that of Nitanshi Goel, who made her Bollywood debut in the film’s lead role of ‘Phool Kumari’.
The 17-year-old couldn’t contain her excitement when she first heard the news about the film’s Oscar entry.
She told ANI, “I felt so happy. I was dancing all around in the room. I was brimming with gratitude. I’m really, really happy because this film is so special to me. Especially my character, Phool, has received so much love.”
“I’m really thankful to Kiran ma’am, Aamir sir, and especially to my lovely audience. They have all given us wings to fly internationally. The way the film is being appreciated now, not just in India but also abroad, feels incredible,” she added.
Goel also shared a memorable moment from the sets when her confidence was boosted by a WhatsApp message from Aamir Khan.
“Aamir sir was technically not on set, but he used to send us messages on WhatsApp. He would tell us if a shot was okay or if it needed to be done again,” she said.
“I remember on the second day of shooting, there was a scene I was a bit unsure about. I wanted some validation from both Kiran ma’am and Aamir Sir. Then Kiran ma’am came up to me and showed me Aamir sir’s message, where he said, ‘Your Phool is rocking it.’ From that day onwards, I felt so much more confident. That message really boosted me,” she added.
Goel also said she still feels like she’s “living a fairytale life” since the release of Laapaata Ladies.
“I’m living a fairytale life. Ever since the release, the love my character Phool has received has been overwhelming. People meet me with so much love in their eyes, and it’s not just the audiences, but also people from the industry. So many filmmakers and actors, whom I deeply admire, have shown great appreciation for my work. It’s truly been a magical experience,” the actress said.
Laapataa Ladies stars Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav, Ravi Kishan and Chhaya Kadam.