Pankaj Batra's Channa Mereya, produced by White Hill Studios & Zee Studios released earlier this week. The film starred debutantes Ninja, Payal Rajput, Amrit Maan alongside some established names like Yograj Singh, B N Sharma, Karamjit Anmol, Shilpa Dhar to name a few. These are all matured and professional actors. But who left the audience spell bounded and some even teary eyed, some shocked – It was none of the above but a two year old boy named Nidhaan Singh Oberoi. (Those who have seen the film, will know about it).
Nidhaan who will turn 3 this year on September 17 (He shares his Birthday with our current Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi) was barely 2 years a few months old when he was chosen by film's casting and chief assistant director, Janjot Singh to reprise the role of Jagta (Ninja) and Kainaat's (Payal Rajput) on-screen child. Nidhaan's proud father, Param Oberoi who is the CEO of White Hill Studios and was the Production Controller for Channa Mereya tells the incident like this, "We were in Dalhousie when the requirement came for a 2-3 year old child. Janjot immediately asked me to call Nidhaan from Chandigarh for the shoot but I was reluctant and hesitant at 1st but Janjot gave me confidence and said that he is an adjusting kind of a boy and will be able to do it. It was basically Janjot who 1st gave me the confidence".
Nidhaan who is fond of his toys did not even know that he was playing such a pivotal role in a film which was going to be a super hit hands down. Young Nidhaan is fond of playing ball sports like Football and even Cricket but also likes to play with his superhero toys like Captain America, Spider-man & Batman, all of which he has in his toy collection. It is always difficult to extract a reaction-based performance from children because we never know their mood and they cannot even speak and explain so a special atmosphere was on the sets for the 3 days when Nidhaan had to shoot his scenes.
He was brought in a day earlier so that he would be familiar with all the major people on the set like the Director Pankaj Batra, lead actors Ninja and Payal Rajput and also B N Sharma with whom he shares a vital scene towards the end. Young Nidhaan was near perfect with his performance as he barely took a second take for any of his shots. His reactions were spot on and to this his father explains like this, " Me and his mother were really worried that weather he will be able to perform or not as per the requirements. Also we were pretty nervous and praying that he does well. Ninja walked up to me and said, "Lutt Gaya Bhaji Mauja, Asli Hero Taan Ehi Hai (Bhaji he has had his moment. He is the real hero of the film"."
Talking about Nidhaan, his father describes him as a very fearless child. He remembers an incident when the Oberoi family went to Shimla for a vacation and Nidhaan was not even 2 years old and he saw a Horse and wanted to ride on it. His father was surprised to see him sit on the horse without any of his parents and just rode on the horse with the help of the Equestrian (Horse Man) and really enjoyed that ride without any fear. This is another example of the adjusting nature of the young Nidhaan, about which I mentioned earlier.
Young Nidhaan Singh Oberoi will now turn 3 in 2 months time and started going to play school earlier this year in April. When we asked from his father that weather Nidhaan would like to be an actor when he grows up, his father said it was way too early to decide on what Nidhaan would like to be. However, we at Punjabi Mania wish Nidhaan Singh Oberoi tremendous success in his life.
