Wamiqa Gabbi: I knew Vishal Bhardwaj would do something beautiful and different in Modern Love Mumbai

The Hindi adaptation Modern Love Mumbai was premiered yesterday on Amazon Prime Video. The Indian version of the Modern Love columns of The New York Times has that uniquely desi flavour in its telling.

Modern Love Mumbai review: Idealistic, hopeful tales that examine the strong bonds of romance and human connections

Wamiqa Gabbi stars alongside Yeo Yann Yann, Meiyang Chang and Naseeruddin Shah in the funny and warm segment Mumbai Dragon directed by Vishal Bhardwaj.

The actress, who spoke to Cinestaan.com in an exclusive conversation a day before the anthology’s release, said working again with the filmmaker was the main draw for her.

Gabbi also stars in Bhardwaj’s upcoming spy thriller Khufiya (2023) with Ali Fazal and Tabu. “I was already working with him when he decided to take me in the next thing he was doing and I was so surprised and happy,” she shared. “I don’t know how it was possible for him to see me as another character. I was so happy that he could imagine me playing Megha as well.”

When she learnt about the talent involved, she leapt at the opportunity. “I got to know about the team, the DoP Tassaduq Hussain, Naseeruddin Shah sir, the amazing actress called Yeo Yann Yann, then there’s Meiyang Chang, and the story and the concept, everything was so appealing and different and then it’s Vishal Bhardwaj. I knew he would do something beautiful [and] different. I didn’t have to think, I was just jumping with excitement when it was offered to me,” she said.

The on-the-go actress also has a role in the recently announced project Jubilee by Vikramaditya Motwane which will also be on Amazon Prime Video.

“Jubilee is another dream project,” she exclaimed. “Shows like Jubilee are not made every day. I’m so happy I got to be a part of this. It’s about the start of Indian cinema, it’s a period drama, 1940s, and it’s our cinema world that we are talking about. I’m just so excited for the world to see Jubilee.”

While she is dying to see the teaser herself, Gabbi admitted she has no idea when the show will be out as the higher-ups are tight-lipped. The period drama also stars Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aditi Rao Hydari and Aparshakti Khurana.

Asked what her dream role is, the actress expressed a desire to do an action-packed film. “I was really excited about Baahubali [prequel]; unfortunately, that might not happen,” she admitted. “Pata nahin itni jaldi kab hoga ya nahin, because that was kind of happening last year, I was very excited. So I’m really looking forward to some fantasy, action, jahan pe no hero is saving me. I want to explore that side of mine.”