Nikita Dutta Speaks About Her Powerful Role in “The Waking of a Nation” and the Authenticity Behind It

Nikita Dutta is all set to captivate audiences with her role in the upcoming historical drama The Waking of a Nation. In an exclusive interview, she shared her excitement about portraying a period character with unparalleled authenticity and shedding light on untold stories of women during India's freedom struggle.

Dutta revealed, “The avatar in which you will see me, you have never seen me like that. I’ve played a period character with such authenticity that the way this character is presented will be entirely different, because we’ve tried to stay true to the period. More than anything, the weight this character carries is immense for me. We’re talking about a time when India was not yet independent, when the freedom struggle was underway... Women from that time have many untold stories, stories we’ve never heard or seen before. These tales may not even be documented.

If you listen to your grandparents’ stories, you’ll hear many such untold accounts. There were so many people, especially women, who helped in the freedom struggle. My role is like one of those stories, showing how powerful a woman can be by doing the smallest of things, things we often overlook.”

Dutta also praised the writers, Ram Madhvani and Shantanu Srivastava, for their portrayal of women in their work. “Ram and Shantanu have beautifully written this character. What stands out is that Ram sir always gives importance to his female characters. He is known for that. For me, there is no greater privilege than playing a woman character in a story by Ram Madhvani.”

The actress went on to describe the sensitivity the team showed throughout the making of the series. “They’ve been very sensitive to the issues. Throughout the making, we were careful not to take this incident lightly. We were cautious with our research and took great care in ensuring every detail was accurate."

In a unique approach to the show, The Waking of a Nation was shot without makeup, something Dutta found both challenging and liberating. “We shot the entire show without makeup. No touch-ups were allowed. It was a wonderful experience. At first, it felt strange as actors, we are so used to makeup. But acting without makeup gave me a sense of freedom, and it really boosted my performance. There’s no fear when you’re not hiding behind layers of makeup. It was a fabulous experience.”

The Waking of a Nation, premiering on March 7, 2025, on Sony Liv features a talented cast, including Taaruk Raina, Nikita Dutta, Sahil Mehta, and Bhawsheel Singh Sahni.