‘I’d Love to Play a Negative Role Like Kajol’s in Gupt’

With her upcoming film Dhadak 2 generating buzz across Bollywood, Triptii Dimri is poised for yet another powerful performance. Known for her nuanced roles in Laila Majnu, Bulbbul, Qala, and more recently Animal, Triptii has steadily carved a place for herself among the industry’s most promising actors. In this candid conversation, she opens up about her approach to acting, social themes in cinema, and her dream of playing a dark, complex character like Kajol’s in Gupt.

Excerpts from the interview:

How do you feel about Dhadak 2, which is a sequel?

I think if you don’t take on pressure and just perform with honesty—trusting your director and team—that’s when the magic happens. That’s what Siddhant, I, and the entire team did. We took it day by day, without overthinking, and gave it our all.

What were your inputs into the character?

It was a truly collaborative process. Every day was different. We’d rehearse a few times, then just play it out organically. A lot depends on how your co-actor performs. Siddhant is fantastic—so natural that your reactions become instinctive. Acting, after all, is reacting. I was lucky to have such talented actors around me. And our director, Shazia Iqbal, was incredibly open to ideas. That made the entire process fluid and inspiring.

your take on inter-caste marriages?

I’ve heard about them since childhood. These issues existed in villages back then, but they’re still present in cities now. Sometimes it’s extreme, sometimes subtle. People often brush it off as “normal,” but the person experiencing it goes through a lot. I haven’t experienced it, but I’ve heard stories—from friends, from people I know—about families not attending weddings because of caste. Earlier, we didn’t even question it. But today, we do. We ask, “Why not?” And that’s a step forward.

Would you play a negative role?

Absolutely. Kajol was brilliant in Gupt! I’d love to do something like that. Earlier, negative roles were treated as a separate category—villains, essentially. But today, anyone can play a layered character with grey shades. The guy who played the negative role in our film is such a simple, soft-spoken person—you’d never guess he could portray something so dark. That’s the magic of acting. I’d love to explore that space and learn something new.

What change can Dhadak 2 bring?

Films can inspire change. They’re a form of emotional education. For some people, they can be life-changing—you see someone overcome something and think, “If they can do it, why can’t I?” But improvement is a personal journey. It’s not just about change—it’s about understanding and adapting. Films introduce you to new perspectives, but how you absorb them is your choice.