Actor Nanncy Gill, recently seen as a Counter Terrorist Squad (CTS) agent in Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Udta Teer, is expanding her wings with her ongoing course in the UK. She is pursuing an MA in screen and stage from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Wales, and is looking to take up international projects besides working in India.
The Raisinghani vs Raisinghani (2024) actor says, “After getting attention in a successful film, the obvious thing is to cash in on the moment and look for opportunities in India, which I am getting, but I have a bigger picture in mind. I first want to complete my course and improve my craft and come with full force besides exploring opportunities here. I just wanted to expand my artistic choices.”
She is looking forward to expanding in India and abroad. “I don’t just want to be a screen actor. I really love theatre also and I want to be a complete artist. In the direction of my career, I want to be an actor, writer and theatre director, building my career in the UK as well.”
Theatre way!
Gill got this confidence by dabbling deeply in theatre. “I’m not only limited to being an actor now. I wrote, produced and directed my own theatre plays and that gave me a different viewpoint. So, I want to build an international career and this is the right time for me. Leaving India at a high point of my career was tough but I had to make a hard choice.”
Back in India, she directed two plays, House Arrest and Mandi House. “After Mumbai, we did Delhi’s Shri Ram Center and people really loved it. I have started getting opportunities here. I shot for a BBC short film two weeks back for experience. Besides, I have written a play, which I have submitted to my college and if they approve it, I’m going to get all the production to do a ticketed play. Once that happens, I can develop my own. In the UK, theatre is big, so opportunities are there where I can bring my Indian roots into play!”
Working with Ayushmann
Playing CTS agent Sharon, she was part of the team with Ayushmann. “Shooting with him was really great as he is a very humble person and he makes everyone so comfortable. We shot for 45 days in Manali. Of course, some of my scenes and dialogues were cut but the makers are the best judge. But having a presence throughout the film is a big deal and a great experience. It’s humbling to see people posting stories and appreciation coming my way. After the OTT release, the visibility will be more.”
She recalls being in Dubai when she got the call. “Besides my audition, they wanted to see my fitness and action videos. I put them together with my gym, kalaripayattu, boxing and MMA ones and sent them. I got selected and then came to know what project it was for. We did lots of tough action sequences under Korean action director Oh Se-Yeong and it was great fun. Interestingly, I watched it in London, in a theatre, and people were like, ‘Hey, you’re in the film.’ It felt nice.”
Bracing ahead
Last year she was seen in short film Uski Kavya with Namit Das.
She keeps honing her skills and for that she went to Greece to learn physical theatre for three months. “In it, you don’t use words, but different parts of the body to produce sound and an action with it. I understood that it changed me so much as an actor. This is something I keep doing, like I learnt boxing, mixed martial arts and dance to keep improving my craft. It helped me in Udta Teer.”
With one of her friends, she wrote and co-directed a web series. “It’s in post-production and may also come out sometime. In 2023-24, I shot for the series in Dehradun where I have a prominent part and that, I am told, will come soon. Besides, I have done a series for Goldie Behl’s production house which has Sumeet Vyas in the lead.”