Gurbani Gill | Though she didn’t have to struggle much to get a break in Bollywood for Dear Molly, debutante Gurbani Gill feels that it is a stepping stone and she has a long way to go. She talks to Sangeeta Yadav about working in this film

Tell us about your experience of working in Dear Molly?

I was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to start  my career with. Working with National Award-winning filmmaker and scriptwriter Gajendra Ahire has been a great learning experience.

This Indo-Swedish film, which has been shot in English and Hindi became more special after it got Oscars Jury screening in Los Angeles, USA.

Dear Molly is a very different kind of film, very away from commercial Bollywood cinema, and yet it will entertain you through its light hearted story of father-daughter relationship.

How was your experience playing Molly?

Molly is a 20-year-old girl who is very creative and steps out of her comfort zone by flying to another country — Sweden to find her father through a letter which was written and had last seen in  when she was five-years-old.

I can completely relate to Molly a lot because like her, I too came out of my comfort zone and shifted my base to India and pursue my acting career.

I understand what she feels and the void of not having her family with her. It is courageous to do something like this.

How did you get into acting?

Just a year ago, I had completed my graduation and trying out acting which was in my mind for a while. I came to Mumbai with my father from Seattle, Washington and joined three months of acting course at Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares.

Luckily, I bagged Dear Molly and I didn’t have to struggle much for my movie break.

How this movie is different from other Bollywood movies?

Bollywood movies are growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the films are contributing to a change in perspective of the people and reflect true human values and emotions.

Dear Molly falls into this kind of cinema as any father-daughter will be able to relate to it.

Relationships are the most difficult thing to maintain in today’s time and require a lot of time, effort, perseverance and patience.

This film reflects different perspectives about the situation and  throws light on how important relationships and family values are in modern society.

What was the biggest challenge?

I had to unlearn a lot of things. Like I like to plan and prepare for the role beforehand so that I don’t feel lost. I used to think a lot but in this film but then the director made me unlearn all of that and told me to go with the flow. He made me believe and explore the natural instinct. To be in sync with the vision of the director was challenging.

What is in the pipeline?

We are waiting for the release of Dear Molly which might happen in February or March. It has been a stepping stone for me and I have a long way to go.

I look forward to work with many other Bollywood actors and directors and fine tune my craft. There is a part of Bollywood in me which I would like to explore next and continue working as much as I can.