Ekta selects Kolkata-based Naghma Rizwan for It Happened In Calcutta

Naghma Rizwan

It took two years and over 300 auditions for Ekta Kapoor to find her leading lady, but she believes it has been worth the wait. The producer, who was scouting for a fresh face for It Happened In Calcutta, has zeroed in on Kolkata-based Naghma Rizwan as the female lead.

While Karan Kundrra was an easy choice for the web series, the makers were keen to launch a new face for the love story set in a Kolkata medical college in the 1960s. Enter casting director Ador Mukherjee who launched a nationwide hunt as director Ken Ghosh began the pre-production. A source reveals, "The brief was to find a Bengali girl with beautiful eyes, striking features and someone who would be able to carry the vintage look with ease. After auditioning about 300 girls, only Naghma resonated with every quality of the character."

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Acting was not on Rizwan's radar; the 25-year-old was pursuing design until a chance modelling for a toothpaste brand introduced her to the world of the arc lights. "The set of that ad made me feel so alive that I knew I had to go ahead with this career," explains Rizwan, who is currently undergoing acting workshops under the supervision of Ghosh. "My dad was a history student. He is helping me understand that era better." Confirming the news, Kapoor says, "It has been a journey spanning two-and-a-half years that saw over 300 girls audition for this role. Naghma Rizwan was the face all of us were looking for and I am confident of her being the perfect choice for my web series."

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