Exclusive: Trained dancer, model Nia Tripathi opens up about her Telugu debut film 'Balamevvadu'

Hyderabad: Nia Tripathi, who is making her debut in the Telugu film industry, is excited about her upcoming film 'Balamevvadu' which will hit the theatres on 1 October. Nia talked about the film, her career, and her passions with NewsMeter.

NewsMeter: What is 'Balamevvadu' about and what is your character in the film?

Nia: 'Balamevvadu' focuses on a lot of aspects, and one among them is the medical mafia. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw how medicines were not available and people were paying huge sums of money to get them. So, this film is all about that. You will likely know the good side and bad side of the medical industry—how people can play with patients' emotions, mainly a few doctors. But it's not only about the medical mafia, it's about making the public aware of all kinds of medical issues. Also, the film has a very pure and beautiful love story which everybody will enjoy. The film is a proper package and nobody will be disappointed after watching this movie.

Coming to my character, I am playing Parineeka. Parineeka is a very mature girl, and she is a fighter. In the movie, she has cancer and the film deals with how she fights against the medical mafia. It's all about her tough journey. I think, for any actor, playing a role like this at the beginning of her career is very challenging. But at the same time, I am grateful and blessed that I got the chance to play such a very beautiful character at the beginning of my career, where I could show and portray myself better.

N: How did you bag the film?

Nia: After a modeling career in Mumbai, I was in Hyderabad. I was giving auditions. Mallikarjun, the casting director, sent my profile to the director and the team. Director sir called me and sent a scene from the film. He asked me to record it and send it to him. So, I auditioned and they liked it and I got the part.

N: How was the working experience?

Nia: It was very exciting. Since this is my first movie, I learned a lot as an actor. I grew as an actor because the director is extremely good and he helped me improve my talent. In the process, I got to know my strengths and weaknesses. So, for me, it was a great learning experience.

N: Did you act in any films before this? Tell us about your career.

Nia: No, I have not acted in any movies before this. This is my debut movie. I have done a few projects but I cannot reveal any details right now. Once they are out, I will be able to discuss them. But yes, I am working in Hindi as well. I am doing a project in Hindi that will be announced soon. And yeah, I started my career with modeling so I worked for Malabar Gold and Santoor advertisements.

N: Where are you from? What did you study?

Nia: I am from Madhya Pradesh. Currently, I am staying in Mumbai. About my qualification, I have done engineering in electronics and communication and then MBA from Bengaluru in finance and marketing. Then I ended up becoming an actor.

N: Do you watch Telugu films? Who is your favorite here?

Nia: Among the heroes, Allu Arjun and Vijay Devarakonda and heroines, I like Sai Pallavi and Samantha. They are brilliant actors. I like the way they perform in the movies. I have a lot of favorite Telugu movies.

N: What was the challenging part of the film? How did you overcome it?

Nia: The challenging part was playing a cancer patient because you know you have to go through a lot of emotions. Moreover, for the role, at the beginning of my career itself, the director asked me if I was ready to shave my hair because the movie required the character to be bald as she's a cancer patient. I said okay, but due to continuity problems, he said we will use makeup instead. When I saw myself bald, I fell quiet, and it took a lot of time to get used to the look. But, you know, there were a lot of thoughts in my head during that time. I thought about how real cancer patients go through this for months, for years, and how much mental pressure they face. Getting into the character, going through these thoughts, and experiencing the emotional side was very challenging.

N: What is your hobby?

Nia: I have several, but one thing which is very special to me is dance. I am a trained dancer and I learned to dance from Shiamak Davar. I am trying different dance forms. I am trained in Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Salsa Bollywood, and Ballet as well. Dance is very close to me and I wish to show my talent to the audience. Then, my next hobby is traveling. I also like to learn new skills and watch movies.