Before landing the lead part in Ram Madhvani’s new series The Waking of a Nation, Taaruk Raina had to go through several auditions. The actor claims that he had a great deal of tension and worry while performing the part.
The historical thriller series, which is set during colonial rule, explores the events and conspiracy that preceded the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and the Hunter Commission’s investigation into the atrocity.
Raina, well known for her role in the Netflix series Mismatched, portrays a lawyer who is attempting to learn the truth behind the atrocity.
“When I went to the auditions, I was really trying to obtain this part. But after I got it, I became afraid. In an interview with PTI, Raina said, “There was a part of me that felt like it looked like a dream too big.”
But once he started working on the project, the actor really felt the weight of responsibility.
“It was a completely different process to what any of us are used to, so you felt a certain amount of self-doubt. It felt like a massive responsibility, and it’s a new thing for me as well. This is me trying my hardest. So, I did get increasingly scared, stressed and nervous about things,” he said. The 30-year-old actor, who has played supporting roles in Rishi Kapoor-starrer film Sharmaji Namkeen and OTT show The Broken News, said things got better after he opened up to Madhvani.
“It involved multiple nervous breakdowns. One fine day, when I couldn’t handle it, I was like, ‘I need help.’ So, I went to him and said, ‘Sir, I am terrified. I don’t know how I am going to handle this.’ Then he told me that he is scared. That day I got better at handling (the pressure).” Seeing himself featured on the poster of the show felt surreal, Raina said.
“I’ve never experienced this, and I’ve not processed it fully. I’m satisfied. This is very new to me, I feel incredibly lucky. There are some days where I still don’t believe what (Ram) saw in me.
“I hope that I’ve done everything in my power to do justice to it. I don’t know if I have or not, but I hope that I have at least tried my hardest,” the actor said.
Joining Raina in The Waking of a Nation are actors Nikita Dutta, Sahil Mehta, and Hari Singh, who help Raina’s character solve the mystery.
Dutta is enthusiastic about the opportunity and said her role provided a platform to explore uncharted territory as an artiste.
The actor, who has starred in films like Kabir Singh, The Big Bull, and Danger, stated, “I do not feel like I have had that opportunity where I get to give it my all towards the character and put myself out there to do something, which is completely out of my comfort zone.”
“It is a fantastic chance for me to be seen in a way that has never been viewed by the audience before. Being a part of such a tale, which is the result of so much honesty and thorough research, makes me incredibly pleased,” she remarked.
The Waking of a Nation, which is produced by Ram Madhvani and his wife Madhvani, will debut on Sony LIV on March 7.
