'Balmiki Pratibha' actor stars opposite Dev

On a high for the adulation from cast and crew for his intense performance in Yoddha, actor Nigel Okkara says the film's period part was more excruciating and he would credit director Raj Chakraborty for teaching him walk as a 'toddler actor.'
"In Yoddha, there are two strands. One contemporary and the other dating back to centuries, when the same characters were in different avatars - as variously associated with the Royal family army commanders, priests, traders or just 'prajas' - residents of kingdom," the big-eyed actor of athletic build, told PTI.
Nigel, who would christen his character as one corner of the love triangle in Yoddha - the other two being Dev and Mimi Chakrovorty said he had to practice horse riding and sword fight for the role of a Royal Army captain.

"The well rounded up, decorative and classical Bengali dialect, in vogue during those times were difficult for me to pronounce. But I delivered finally as the director and producers never compromised on authencity front, studying the Bengali dialect of the Sen and Pal dynasty time and how it evolved," he said.
Nigel, who had debuted in Muktodhara., loosely based on his account from a hardened convict to a pivot in a Tagorean music-drama, said, "I was born as an actor in the hands of Shiboprosad (Roy) and Nandita (Mukhopadhyay) but Rajda has taught me how to walk in the alleys of film acting."

About his work experience with superstar-MP Dev,Nigel said, "He was the reigning king of entertainment sector. He offered so many blockbusters. I was just a few films old. But Dev never showed any tantrums or airs during shoots. He has an easy going style and approach to everything in life," Nigel said.
"I guess this set in Yoddha was the most expensive one ever made. In Tollywood. Once you enter this set you are transformed into past and the characters get the better of you," Nigel, the 'real life son' of danseuse Alakananda Roy and inspirational force behind lots of prisonmers as Ratnakar-turned-Balmiki in Balmiki Protibha, said.