Nikhil Bhambri: I would love to star opposite Alia Bhatt in future

Puncch Beat 2, released a few weeks ago on AltBalaji, is being loved by young audiences across the country. The second season of this show features Priyank Sharma, Siddharth Sharma, Harshita Gaur with Khushi Joshi and Nikhil Bhambri among others. In a candid chat with OTTplay, Nikhil opened up about his experiences and fun time on the sets of the show. The actor also spoke about his parents, Puncch Beat 3 and his upcoming projects among many.

Talking about his character Adhish in Puncch Beat 2, Nikhil says, “I'm the same as Adhish in real life as Nikhil, but the difference being, I’m not that crazy or immature like him. I am that fun-loving and bubbly kind of a guy, a reason why it was not tough to play a character like that.”

Speaking of the experience working with his real-life aunt Niki Walia on the sets of Puncch Beat, the actor revealed that he’s very happy that he had a chance to work his maasi. “It’s great to share screen space with your family member and a mentor whom you look up to in your life. It felt fabulous, yes but there was a certain pressure because I knew that I had to give my best.”

When asked about the experience of shooting amid cold weather on a hill station, the actor replies, “So to begin with, season 1 was shot in Mussorie but it was in summer, so the weather there was pleasant. However, Puncch Beat 2 was shot in the same location but during peak winters and the experience was out of this world. It was freaky for us, more so for the girls who had to wear short dresses in such cold weather.”

Talking about his transition from a fun character in Who's Your Daddy to a dark character in Black Widows, he adds, “So firstly, the experiences of playing Tidda in Who’s Your Daddy and Adhish in Puncch Beat 2 were very different but the transition was not very difficult. To portray Tidda and then going to Jahan Sardesai in Black Widows was a massive jump. It’s not only about playing a negative or a grey character but also understanding the little nuances that need to go with the performance.”

Ask him about his parent’s reaction to seeing him smoking cigarettes while playing Jahan, Nikhil mentioned that his parents always knew that he wanted to be an actor. “When I started getting very serious about pursuing acting as a career, I told them that there would be a lot of things that I’ll have to do while I’m playing a character which they might not like. They need to know that I’m not doing those things but my characters are,” he mentions.

Despite turning an actor only after a brief experience in modelling, Nikhil maintains that acting has always been his topmost priority. “My mom’s childhood friend is a hairstylist and she told her that “your son is really good looking, he should try modelling” and that’s how I got my first gig in advertisement with Loreal Paris,” he adds.

When quizzed about the current generation actor would he like to co-star with, Nikhil is quick to respond, "Alia Bhatt." The actor further shares, “Deepika and even Bebo (Kareena Kapoor Khan) are also some of the talented and gorgeous actresses in the industry that I would love to be paired with.”

Will Puncch Beat have a season 3? He’s not sure about it but is willing to be a part of it if a new season is greenlit. Nikhil prefers to remain mum about his forthcoming projects.“There are two big projects lined up for me right now, one of them is again a youth-oriented show like Puncch Beat, that’s all I can say right now,” he signs off.