The temporary hurdle

Calling gender bias a momentary obstacle, Nidhi Bisht on making her mark in comedy as she features in the sitcom Maamla Legal Hai

Nidhi Bisht is grateful for the love coming her way for the recent Netflix sitcom, Maamla Legal Hai. “I hoped for this, but it never went over my head and expected it,” she smiles. Working alongside seasoned veterans like Tanvi Azmi and Ravi Kishan and collaborating with contemporary talents like Anant Joshi and Naila Grewal has been enriching for the actor. Heaping praise at Kishan for making scenes look effortless, Bisht says, “His experience and understanding of the craft show when he is acting out his scenes. He makes it all look so easy and effortless. During the shoot, it always felt like working with a senior from college who is super secure and is enjoying the process as much as you do. His sense of humour is always on point.”

In Maamla Legal Hai, Bisht portrays an ambitious lawyer striving to carve her niche in a male-dominated profession by eventually fighting her own cases. Reflecting on her real-life journey in the comedy genre, she says that the industry has come a long way in embracing women writing and performing comedy. “In comedy, you are judged only on your jokes. So, you are either funny or not,” says the actor-writer-creator, citing her love for female comics Gurleen Pannu, Shreeja Chaturvedi, and Prashasti Singh, among others, and their unique sense of humour.

From her early days as a lawyer to establishing her own theatre company, Bisht’s journey exemplifies perseverance. She says her journey has taught her to never bow down to obstacles. “When I came to Mumbai, acting was my only plan. There was no plan B. I looked at gender bias as a temporary obstacle instead of classifying the nature of the problem. My biggest takeaway is not to stop yourself from trying something you believe in,” shares Bisht, who has written a feature film and is now looking for producers to back it up.

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