Baramulla's Noorie aka Arista Mehta calls Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt her inspiration, recalls surviving Kashmir's cold while shooting, and more | Exclusive

The young and talented actress Arista Mehta played Noorie in Baramulla. In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Arista recalled the shooting experience, her inspirations, Baramulla's success & more.

Arista Mehta as Noorie in Baramulla

Netflix's Baramulla has been receiving positive responses from fans and critics. The supernatural horror thriller stars Manav Kaul, Arista Mehta, Bhasha Sumbli, Rohaan Singh, and others. The story explores political unrest, family trauma, and the supernatural, blending police procedurals with psychological and folk horror. Amid rave reviews, OTTplay had an exclusive chat with Arista, who played the role of Noorie, the daughter of Manav Kaul's DSP Ridwaan Sayyed. During the chat, Arista shared her shooting experience, discussed whether Baramulla should have been a theatrical release or not, revealed her inspirations, and more.

Arista Mehta interview excerpts

Arista Mehta on playing Noorie in Baramulla

When asked how Arista got involved with Baramulla and what drew her to the character of Noorie Sayyed, the young actress told us, "I had auditioned for it and we had quite a few auditions, like two or three." She shared that she had also done workshops after getting the role, and it was exciting.

She further added, "Noorie is such a complex character. She has been through so much because of her dad's job. She is not a normal teenager, even though she is just 14 or 15. At that age, she is mature and it was not a simple character and it has a lot og layers."

Arista Mehta on Baramulla becomes a global hit

Baramulla has ranked 3 and with this, it has entered Netflix's global top 10 non-English movies chart, beating Dhanush's Idli Kadai. Reacting to it, Arista said, "It is great. I had a certain expectation from the movie, but when I watched the film first time, it was way above my expectations, and now that I am reading the review every day, they are all good. More than actors, the crew has put so much effort, it deserves all the good reviews that are coming."

Arista Mehta on working with Manav Kaul and playing the role of his on-screen daughter in Baramulla

"He is very easy to work with, of course. We had photoshoots, costume trials and everything, and he was very easy to work with," she said.

Also Read: Baramulla review: Manav Kaul leads haunting tale of fear, anchored by calming performances where ghosts of past linger

Arista Mehta on surviving Kashmir's cold while shooting

"It was very hard to shoot due to the climate because it was very, very cold. Going from Mumbai in December in this cold, the shooting generally was very tough. Where I am running down from the Arctic, it was very hard to shoot, of course, it was shot separately and then put together but to maintain that all four parts and then my allergic reaction. The makeup was very heavy because it was so cold, it was very itchy and very tough to shoot.

Arista Mehta on whether Baramulla should have released in theatres or not

"I mean of course, it would have been great if it was released in theatres but I feel the film has been getting so much love on Netflix that I am pretty grateful for this too and theatre I feel, there are a big audience for OTT also where many people who do not prefer to go to theatres but watch it on OTT because it is more comfortable," she said.

Speaking about the supernatural and ghostly atmosphere while shooting, Arista said, "I don't think during the shooting of it, there was any but the ambience is like that only. It was really scary shooting at night because you know you are shooting a scary movie and it is cold. If you have it in your brain, then you actually feel scared. If you create a vibe of it, then you feel scared."

Arista Mehta on her inspirations

"I look up to Shah Rukh Khan Sir and Alia Bhatt ma'am the most. They are amazing. Alia ma'am has done such good work in recent times. I think everyone in this generation looks up to her."

Lastly, when asked what kind of role she is up to next after Baramulla, Arista shared, "I am open to everything. Anything that is challenging, and if the story is interesting to me and I feel good reading it, then definitely I would love that genre. There is nothing specific. I am open to everything."

Baramulla is now streaming on Netflix!

FAQs

Q. Where is Baramulla located?

A. Baramulla is a district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, located in the Kashmir Valley. It's situated along the Jhelum River and serves as the administrative headquarters of the district.

Q. What is the significance of Baramulla?

A. Baramulla has historical and cultural importance, featuring ancient Buddhist stupas, temples, and monasteries. The district is also known for its scenic beauty, with the Jhelum River flowing through it and surrounding mountains.

Q. Where to watch Manav Kaul's Baramulla?

A. Manav Kaul's latest movie Baramulla is streaming on Netflix.

Share