Mirzapur's 'Dimpy' Harshita Gaur looks at life as glass half full [Exclusive interview]

Harshita Gaur is best known for her role as Dimpy in Amazon Prime Videos Mirzapur.  Fans and critics have praised her performance in the second season of Mirzapur.

Not many know that Dimpy comes from a family of doctors and has completed her studies in engineering from Noida. Apart from being a sharp and vigilant student, she would participate in extracurricular activities. While she was pursuing her engineering degree, she got an offer from Sadda Haq, which marked her television debut. Harshita struck a perfect balance between acting and academics. Gaur is also a trained Kathak dancer and has performed in stage shows across India. 

In an exclusive conversation with IBTimes, Harshita Gaur opened up about her journey in the industry, her experience working with Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and others, her take on social media backlash on ban/boycott Mirzapur and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Fans and critics appreciate your character Dimpy Pandit in Mirzapur, did you expect this? 

I am overwhelmed with the kind of response that I have received till date. Audiences are liking me and calling me national crush after my performance in season 1 & 2. I'm glad that they loved the innocence of Dimpy's character and understood the path that led her to take individual decisions. They also loved her chemistry with Robin. So overall, it's been an excellent season for me, and I am truly grateful.

How was it working with experienced actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Sheeba Chaddha, Ali Fazal?

The experience was surreal. We are like one big family now, but I did feel a little intimidated at the start of the shoot. It's like I had seen all of them on-screen, and now I was sharing screen space with them. But after a while, I was relieved.

We see Dimpy a little aggressive in season 2. How did the transformation from a disciplined girl to this Dabaang woman happen?

My character evolves in season 2. Dimpy does not change, and no one can, you only add dimensions to yourself as you grow in life, that happens in real life too. Dimpy finds a lot of inner strength in Season 2. We've always seen her as a sweet next door girl in season 1, and now she discovers her inner strength. She stands up for certain things and does what her heart tells her to do. In season 2, she takes decisions keeping herself in mind rather than giving in to patriarchal pressures. So that for me was a leap and a whole new dimension to Dimpy's character. In a nutshell, Dimpy has grown up. She is now a woman of her own making. I want to say that Dimpy stood up for something that she believed in. 

As you don't belong to a filmy family, has this affected your career opportunities?

See being an outsider, and you know that it's a feeling that you're entering into a new dimension where everything will be unique. You won't know anybody, and you will have to keep going, you'll fall, you have to get up. So, all those challenges were there, and initially, the biggest challenge is when you meet new people whom you don't know, and you aren't too sure of the way you would want to approach them for work. You don't even know how the cycle or hierarchy in the industry goes on. So that's the biggest challenge. Of course, things are better now in terms of people knowing me, and I am at a place where I can sense the path, so maybe that's the thing that's easier now. However, this hasn't yet happened to me that I've been replaced because of an insider or stuff like that. So I really can't comment on all those things. I had my challenges and now because people know me, so it's just easier to get into a discussion or a chat with them if something is coming up.

Has Dimpy Pandit's character changed Harshita (you) as a person in real life?

Well, it did make me look at many things differently. But yeah, I have always stood up for myself, for what is right, so I felt happy within that Dimpy could take her decision as well, how she's living her reality.

If you had to play any other character in the series, what would that be and why?

 I have no answer to this question as every character has been so good. You never know if my writer that wants to make a thriller like Mirzapur where you have a female Guddu or female Munna, I'd love to be that. I think these characters are so well written that I really can't choose one of them.

Mirzapur has faced severe backlash on social media, but that didn't harm the success and viewership of the show, as an individual and an actor, do social media trolls affect you?

Yes, I'm aware there's been a backlash, but there has been another whole set of audience who loved the show. So I think it's more of a personal choice, but overall I'm happy that the show and my character has been received well. The second season is also a success and eventually as a public figure, and you've to learn to let go of trolls and not let it affect you.

Mirzapur 3 has been announced how will role develop in the season?

I don't have any idea about the role arc as of now. I'm also waiting for the team to get back to me and call me and talk to me about the character progression.