Humble beginnings: Light at the end of the tunnel

‘Banjo’ actor Nargis Fakhri could not afford music lessons in her childhood

Bollywood actor Nargis Fakhri shared she could not take any music lessons in her childhood as she grew up poor. In her upcoming film Banjo, the 36-year-old actor plays a DJ from New York, who comes to Mumbai to find local talent and make music with them.

“For me, I regret being really poor growing up as I couldn’t afford to take music lessons. That was really sad. I believe playing an instrument is something really beautiful and a great talent,” The Indian Express quoted Fakhri as saying. The actor revealed she started learning acoustic guitar after her debut film Rockstar. “I didn’t have people around to inspire me. But after my first film, I got inspired to try the acoustic guitar. It’s hard for me, but I still try. I have three of them at home and pick one up, once in a while,” she added.

Directed by Ravi Jadhav, the musical drama features Riteish Deshmukh as a Banjo player. Fakhri revealed she came on board for the film as she instantly connected with the story. “For me, it was the story. There was a lot of soul and depth. It addressed something I thought was very beautiful,” she stated. “The character fit very well, and I am sure that’s why I was called to hear the story.” Banjo is scheduled to release on September 23.

Speaking about the film, Deshmukh added, “Banjo is indeed an extremely special film because my friends Ravi Jadhav and Krishika Lulla both thought of me in this role. It is not a comedy, it is a musical. I’m glad that they had faith in me to do this role and I hope that I have lived up to their expectations.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2016.

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