From 'Jab We Met' to '83' - All you need to know about Wamiqa Gabbi's Bollywood cameos

Wamiqa Gabbi's Bollywood journey is a case study in how even the smallest cameos can make a career and leave an indelible mark. From the beginning as Geet's cousin in ‘Jab We Met’ to her recent starring roles, Gabbi's unflinching observations, reflected in recent interviews, show her cherishing every screen moment, no matter how small. Here's all that you need to know about her.

Early cameos and the beginning of her journey

Wamiqa Gabbi began her career with a Bollywood cameo in the 2007 blockbuster ‘Jab We Met,’ in which she featured as one of Geet's cousins. Talking about her journey in an interview with Bollyy, she mentioned, "I've worked in the industry for quite some time now, and all because of the constant encouragement of my parents. They always kept me grounded and safe. I also had incredible friends who were with me. That's why I never lost heart. I really feel that when your vibes are clean, you get good people and opportunities towards you. Once I was genuinely prepared, I feel like the perfect opportunities caught up with me". This philosophy has helped her navigate small but notable roles in movies such as ‘Love Aaj Kal’ and ‘Mausam.’

Memorable cameos and learning from every role

Gabbi's Bollywood cameos have been in ‘Bittoo Boss,’ ‘Sixteen,’ and sports drama ‘83’ (2021), in which she appeared as Annu Lal, wife of cricketer Madan Lal. She has repeatedly stressed the importance of every role and said on The Bombay Journey, "Every role, no matter how small, teaches you something new about the craft and about yourself". It is the effect of a performance, rather than its length, that is important to Gabbi.

On packing scripts and the strength of cameos

Her strategy for picking parts is instinct-driven. In the same episode of The Bombay Journey, she clarified, "I go with my gut. If a character excites me, I don't overthink the screen time. The sincerity you bring is what the audience remembers". This approach has helped her juggle lead parts and cameos, making every performance resonate with the audience.

Working with Bollywood’s best and behind-the-scenes anecdotes

Gabbi’s recent run-ins with Bollywood icons have been equal parts memorable and amusing. While promoting Bhool Chuk Maaf, she shared a lighthearted anecdote about meeting Shah Rukh Khan for the first time on the sets of Baby John. In a Mashable India interview, she shared, “My brother jokingly told me to slit my wrist to get SRK’s attention—a shocking suggestion that left everyone speechless! When I informed SRK about it, the entire crew was left speechless. I thanked him instantly and proceeded". Such a viral story speaks to her frankness as well as her sense of humor.

Shooting experiences and on-screen chemistry

Gabbi's camaraderie with co-stars can be seen in her recent projects. In IMDb's interview with Rajkummar Rao, she mentioned the difficulty of shooting under extreme temperatures for Bhool Chuk Maaf, as follows: "We were shooting at that ghat virtually daily, 50°C, so my entire body was darkened and I came to know later on that my hair were also singed. I didn't know that I needed to apply sunscreen to my hair as well!".

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