A year and a half after its release, The Lift Boy has gone on to win thousands of hearts not just across India, but across several countries around the world. Being featured on a platform like Netflix surely helped do the trick but having watched the movie, I know that no amount of praise will do justice to this film, and the best I can say is, “Go watch it.”
One of the reasons this film has gone on to do so well has to be the leading actress Nyla Masood. She’s not your typical Bollywood actress in her twenties and not one flaunting a size-zero or any of the other add-ons that have been considered as a must to play a leading role. All she did was act her part out to perfection, helping create a movie that is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.
The costume designer has worked in a few Bollywood films in the past like Barot House (2019), Umrika (2015), Stanley Ka Dabba (2011) and others, but this was the first time she saw herself on screen as an actress. Her role in the film is that of an affectionate, caring and loving human being with stern and good old-fashioned kindness, who goes out of her way to help.
These traits were similar to those I saw in my late grandmother, and it’s great to see a film doing well just because of the niceness of a human being, a breath of fresh air from all the excessive drama and action we usually see in movies today. Read Scoops caught up with Nyla, to know about her preparations for the film and how she feels after it went on to become such a hit. Keep reading for the entire conversation…
Nyla Masood social profiles 🌐:
Hi Nyla. Your first reaction when you read the script for The Lift Boy?
“How will I learn so many lines?!! I’m not used to learning anything by heart since I finished college!”
Your first time on screen? How was the experience?
“You mean the first time I saw myself on screen? I think I looked at myself with a very critical eye. With the result that the film didn’t quite sink in. It was only after I saw it a second time that I felt a deep tug in my heart.”
“The first screening of the film was at the Jagran film festival. I think all of us were really nervous! In a festival, people give a film about 15 minutes. If it doesn’t appeal to them, they move on to the next screen. I remember we sat in the last row to watch the people. And it was encouraging to see that nobody left the theatre! At the end, Jonathan called the entire cast and crew on stage for the Q&A. The response was overwhelming.”
Which co-star did you enjoy working with the most?
“Almost all my scenes were with Moin Khan. One very nice scene I had with Saagar Kale, who is a very fine actor, so responding to an actor like him is easy. One cute scene with Aneesha, who is also a natural.”
“Going back to Moin, we developed a great bond, thanks to Jonathan who would encourage us to meet outside the office also. So, those ‘sessions’ were mostly in my house chilling over coffee (which Moin never finished!). He became like my third child! We talked about everything on earth and shared our experiences about life. We would help each other with our lines and be each other’s critics. I remember Moin used to write notes in his tiny handwriting, on the script which he would share with me. I think for both of us, even today, the bond is as strong, even though we hardly get to meet.”
ALSO READ: Behind the Lens: Jonathan Augustin on Making ‘The Lift Boy’
How would you describe director Jonathan Augustin’s contribution to the film?
“Jonathan is a perfectionist. And very focussed. He has the maturity and wisdom which goes beyond his age. Once he was ready with the final script, he was crystal clear about what he wanted. In my case, he put in so much trust in me, a person with no formal training and experience that I was determined not to let him down. Also, I knew it was a role of a lifetime for any 60-year old woman in the film industry, to be at par with the protagonist of the film. Although in some ways I was a bit like Maureen in real life, my mannerisms and my style were way too casual to fit into his perception of Maureen. So he talked a lot to me about my walk, my posture etc. And asked me to watch Helen Mirren in A Hundred Foot Journey, and Gustave in Grand Budapest Hotel. Both, Moin and I rehearsed with him almost every evening from 6pm to about 8/830 as he watched us evolve.”
“For him, colours play an important part in every frame. Mood boards were always discussed in our meetings for costumes too. He was always gentle, respectful and patient on set. I specially appreciate his attitude towards his staff/spot boys, etc.”
Apart from the story, what do you think made the film as good as it is?
“The film has a heart, a soul. And the fact that it talks about so many factors with simplicity and ease. It touches upon what our lives are with its ups and downs, using the lift as a metaphor, the choices that we make, the class divide in our society, parents’ expectations, dignity of labour, and philanthropy. All this without being preachy.”
Your favourite moment of the journey so far?
“The entire experience was a highlight in my life. This film will always be very, very special. There was so much learning and sharing. I made certain relationships for life. Will always owe it to Jonathan. At this moment I really can’t think of any one moment. Will probably remember once I’m done with the interview! Haha!”
“Please, please do support films like ours which don’t have known actors/directors in theatres as well. Such heart-warming films, otherwise, go unnoticed and are off the screens before you know it. Spread the word. Share on social media if you’ve liked the film so that more people get to watch them,” she said on a parting note.
As it turns out, she also runs an NGO called Dhai Akshar Educational Trust, so it looks like Nyla Masood and Maureen D’Souza aren’t too dissimilar at all. Founded in 2013, Dhai Akshar is an after-school holistic learning centre for underprivileged children based in Versova, Mumbai, and she’s clearly doing the good work, both on and off the screen!
The role of Mrs. D’Souza couldn’t have been portrayed better by anyone, and if you haven’t watched the film yet, don’t waste any more time. It was a pleasure watching Nyla Masood in The Lift Boy and was a bugger pleasure talking to her for this feature. Like me, I’m sure there are hundreds waiting to watch her in another Netflix film sometime soon!
– Dwayne Fernandes, Read Scoops
(Twitter – @dwayneeeboy, Instagram – @dwayneeeboy)
