Nimrat Kaur Was Close To Giving Up Before The Lunchbox: 'I Would Cry, Feel Lonely'
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Before The Lunchbox changed her life, Nimrat Kaur struggled with self-doubt and low funds. She opens up about the fear, loneliness, and voice that told her not to give up.
Before she became a familiar face in films and international shows, Nimrat Kaur was just another hopeful artist in Mumbai, unsure of when her next paycheck would come in—or if it ever would. In a candid conversation with The Indian Express, the actor opened up about the emotionally and financially challenging years she endured before her big break in The Lunchbox.
Recalling the uncertainty of those early days, Nimrat said, 'Sometimes I would get worried—where will my next paycheck come from? Am I good enough? Should I go back? Do people like seeing me in what I do?" She added, 'Before The Lunchbox, there was a point where I didn't know what I would do ahead."
After moving to Mumbai, Nimrat spent two to three months working in music videos and was frequently cast in advertisement films. Alongside that, she spent four to five years immersed in theater. But even that wasn't enough to sustain her.
'While doing theater, there was a time when my bank balance had fallen very low. It was very difficult to understand where money would come from," she shared. 'There was a lot of fear, and returning home in a situation like that is a different kind of humiliation. There were days when I was very sad, low, things were very difficult, challenging. I would cry, feel lonely, but there was a voice inside me that said, don't give up."
Nimrat's perseverance paid off when she landed her breakthrough role in The Lunchbox (2013), opposite Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Directed by Ritesh Batra and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, and Arun Rangachari, the film went on to win the Grand Rail d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and changed the course of her career.
Before The Lunchbox, Nimrat had small roles in Yahaan, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, and the English-language film One Night with the King. Since her breakout success, she has starred in critically acclaimed projects like Airlift and Dasvi, and earned recognition abroad with roles in Homeland, Wayward Pines, and Foundation.
Most recently seen in Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs and Sky Force, Nimrat Kaur is gearing up for her next release, Section 84. From near breakdowns to global breakthroughs, her journey is a testament to resilience—and the quiet voice that kept telling her not to give up.
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