‘I’m A Heroine; Will Not Play A Mother’s Role’

There was an easy, pleasant vibe from the moment we walked in to interview Nyrraa M Banerji.

She is currently promoting her new comedy film One Two Cha Cha Chaa, which also stars Ashutosh Rana.

Visibly busy with back-to-back promotional activities, Nyrraa brought a cheerful energy as she warmly greeted us with New Year wishes.

“2026 looks very different from 2025! It feels like a new energy.”

The new year marks a fresh chapter for Nyrraa, as she returns to Hindi cinema after 10 years in a never-seen-before avatar, even learning Bihari for the role. She admits she had deliberately paced her career earlier by turning down film offers.

Nyrraa started her film journey with Priyadarshan’s Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal in 2012 and has since appeared in Tamil and Telugu films, along with a stint in Hindi television.

“I am stubborn. I don’t say yes to everything,” Nyrraa tells   “I had the guts to say no to so many movies back then.”

Tell us about One Two Cha Cha Chaa.

One Two Cha Cha Chaa is a situational comedy film with a beautiful ensemble cast.

The best part is working with Ashutosh sir, he is a living legend. It is a very big honour for any actor to work alongside him. I got this film literally out of nowhere. It fell into my lap. I was relaxing after finishing a television show. It my proper chill zone where I was unwinding and enjoying myself. Suddenly I got a call from a very old friend who told me about this film.

I got a narration. I enjoyed it a lot. Then I asked about the star cast. They told me Ashutosh sir. I was very surprised. We have mostly seen Ashutosh sir in intense and grey shades. I was very excited to see him in this role.

You seem to be playing a proper Hindi masala film heroine in this one.

Yes! No one has ever seen me in this avatar in Bollywood.

In my first film Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal, I was playing a Christian girl named Maria. In One Night Stand, I was a devoted wife. Then in Barun Rai and the House on the Cliff, I played a Bengali nurse who gets possessed.

This Bihari-flavoured, proper heroine look came to me for the first time. I enjoyed it a lot. I also love the look of my character. I am wearing a sari and always have a flower on my ear. It’s a very desi character. I learned Bihari for this role.

Ninety per cent of my scenes are with Ashu sir. It was a nice experience. It is a very different kind of romance that you might not have seen before. Our scenes are very cute.

WATCH: Nyrraa talks about her character and the ‘chaotic’ plot of One Two Cha Cha Chaa…

You have worked in television, commercials, music videos, and theatre. Was acting in Hindi films always your goal?

Honestly, I am where I am today because of the choices I have made.

My first work as a child artist was Kadambari, a Doordarshan show. From there on, my pictures were circulated, and people started approaching me for South movies. There were no agencies at that time, only managers and coordinators.

When I was in college, a celebrity manager spotted me. Someone told me, you look very cute, you dance very well, you should do movies. They spoke to my mom.

I signed South films, and at the same time, I also started Bollywood projects. I got more busy in the South, because in Bollywood, there was a phase where all the movies were getting very bold. Physical intimacy was the criteria at that time for films. I didn’t want to be part of that. stopped taking projects because every film was being made in the same way and I didn’t want to get into that zone. I don’t see myself associating with that genre. That’s why I took a break from Bollywood.

But you did One Night Stand…

One Night Stand is not an intimacy film. It was about a woman whose husband has cheated on her and how she had given her entire life to the husband and now that she wants to give time to herself.

It was a film about self-worth. If there are a few such scenes in the entire film, then it is understandable, but the film should not be about that.

Did Khakee: The Bengal Chapter help you find better opportunities?

When you do very intense roles, it becomes very difficult for you to get another type of role. If casting directors see me in that role, they will start giving me roles like that. You know, (roles like) a pregnant lady, or with a child.

See, it is not necessary that if I have played a mother, now I will not do a motherly role for everyone. I am a heroine. I am not going to play a mother’s role.

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter was an exception. It was Neeraj Pandey’s series. It was a franchise which was a super hit. There are a lot of calculations.

For me, being part of that show was more important. It takes a while to shed the perception.

You have over six million followers on Instagram. Does that help you get more work?

Perhaps. See, I am stubborn. I don’t say yes to everything, whether it is a TV show or a film.

I had the guts to say no to so many movies back then. I felt that I did not want to be part of that genre. They definitely pitch me, and I get a lot of inquiries, but it materialises only when I want it.

From what we see on your social media, you sing really well. What’s your equation with singing?

I am a law graduate. I specialised in intellectual property rights.

My mom wanted me to have a career in singing. So, she used to wake me up every morning at 6 and make me do riyaaz. She taught me ghazals. She taught me Hindustani classical music and ragas.

It was my mom’s wish because she also sings very well. I am a lazy person. I don’t want to get up in the morning and do riyaaz. So, I didn’t do that. But today, when people still tell me that my voice is good, I know that if I practice even for a month, my voice will really open up.

What drew you to Bollywood?

I have the biggest crush on Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. I still have a crush on them. I have grown up watching Madhuri Dixit films. It will be a huge compliment if someone says that you are like Madhuri, or you dance like her, or your expressions are like hers!

I like Kareena for her cool attitude, and Priyanka for her confidence, and the way she has led her life. I love them. These are my role models.