Parminder Nagra has enjoyed a career that has seen her balance both TV and movie work as well as finding success both sides of the pond.
She is set to return to the big screen with her new movie Twenty8K and I caught up with her to chat about the movie.
- Twenty8K is about to be released into cinemas so can you tell me a little bit about the movie?
I guess it is a twisty, turny thriller that is set in the East End. I play a character called Deeva Jani and she is a fashion executive who comes back to London from Paris to avenger her brother's wrongful imprisonment.
During that she stars to uncover some rather weird goings on and get herself into some quite dangerous situations. So I think the audience ends up on a bit of ride (laughs).
- The movie looks at gang culture and corruption so what was is about the Paul Abbott script that really interested you?
When I heard that Paul Abbott and Jimmy Dowdall were the writers on the project the opportunity of working with someone like that was just too great to pass up - it was just one of those things.
But also having a strong female lead and they don't come up very often; especially a strong female Indian lead.
But also the way that they wanted to shoot the movie as well as there was a lot of talk of wanting it to have the same stylistic sense as The Long Good Friday.
The film is very European in its look and that really grabbed me as well. So I was like 'I would love to be a part of this and just see what happens and see what I can do with this'. Hopefully people will like it and I certainly had a great time making it.
- You take on the role of Deeva in the movie so can you tell me a bit about your character and how we are going to see her develop throughout the movie?
When you first meet her she is this high powered fashion executive who is based in Paris and dressed very nicely.
Then all of a sudden cut to the East End and she is having to come back to her old haunts and it becomes a situation where 'you can take a girl out of the East End but you can't take the East End out of the girl.
You really see her go back and really try and get to the bottom of what is going on. She uncovers some rather dark stuff and she just keeps going - she has such a strength of character and the tenacity just to keep... she doesn't take no for an answer.
By the end of the movie it finally/ hopefully gets the redemption that she is seeking and that the audience get that redemption as well.
- The movie is directed by David Kew and Neil Thompson so how did you find working with them and what kind of director's are they?
We had two directors and that was a new thing for me as I am very use to just one person being in the background.
Neil is very visual and David was the person who was coming to the fore and the one giving the actor the notes of what he needed in terms of getting this story across.
They seemed to work very well together and they complemented each other. It was a real collaboration in that sense and they wanted to discuss things on how to move it forward.
It was nice... sometimes it is like 'can you just do it like this' but they wanted discussion and I think everyone really benefited from that.
- And what was it like getting back on a project in the UK and shooting in London?
I loved it. I was living out in the East End as well. Years and years ago I lived in Stratford East and going back and seeing the way that it has changed was amazing - I was just like 'wow what has happened to the East End?'
It was a different experience but it was nice to be with an all English crew and just get stuck into trying to make a good movie. I just loved it and I had a really good laugh.
You just hope that when you get on board something that the chemistry between the actors and everyone involved strikes right - it was good fun.
- Well you have slightly touched on my next question really Jonas Armstrong and Stephen Dillane...
I was scared (laughs). When I met Stephen Dillane I was like 'oh my god' because he is amazing.
I have worked with lots of people but when you meet someone that you admire as an actor it is always quite nerve wracking and exciting at the same time because you really have to raise your game.
It is one of those sink or swim times and you are either going to rise to it or not and just to be in a scene with someone like him was amazing.
It was funny seeing Jonas because I had seen his images as Robin Hood, I didn't know him before, and all of a sudden it was like 'wow Jonas went to the gym' - he is like a beefed up English hunk.
There were was Alex (Lanipekun), who was in Spooks, and he was delightful to work with. Then Kaya (Scodelario) but I only had a little bit of stuff to do with her and then Nichola Burley was lovely and very funny.
It was good group of people as they all came in and got stuck in and did their thing and tried to have a good time.
Michael Socha was there as well, I forgot to mention him, he is incredibly funny and charming.
- Twenty8K is an independent movie so how much do you enjoy working in this area for the industry? Does an independent give a little bit more creative freedom than a big studio project?
People are still watching what is going on but with studios sometimes there are so many people involved and on set and very controlling of things - unless they totally trust whoever they have hired.
I suppose I haven't really though about it until you have asked that question but you do have a little bit of creative freedom I feel.
David and Neil worked very closely with Paul and Jimmy and so they got to shape it exactly how... they had more control over how they wanted to shape it.
They then relay that to you and hopefully I gave them what they wanted. So yeah I guess so, a little bit.
- You have moved between movies and TV throughout your career so how do the two mediums compare?
I have to say the movies that I have ended up working on have all been quite fast paced because they have been independent movies.
But I guess it is a bit more rehearsal than on a TV show - on a TV show you had better make sure that you have done all of your homework at home and that you have come in prepared.
You may get a couple of times to rehearse - you need to be forward thinking as an actor and run lines between yourselves or meet up and try and do something together.
On a film you get to really try things out and discuss it but sometimes on TV you have to find those moments to be able to have those discussions.
- Finally what's next for you?
I am actually doing a recurring part in a show called Psych in the U.S. - it's a comedy where I am playing Dulé Hill's love interest.
That has been a lot of fun and has been different to everything that I have done before - that has been a really lovely breath of fresh air.
Twenty8K is released in cinemas 10th September.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw