Actor Nikhil Angrish has offered a candid glimpse into his experience shooting 'Pooja Meri Jaan', describing his time alongside co-stars Mrunal Thakur and Vijay Raaz as a defining chapter in his career. The crime drama, which began streaming on ZEE5 from 2 October 2025, also features Huma Qureshi and Vikram Singh Chauhan.

On Working with Mrunal Thakur

Angrish said he had long followed Mrunal Thakur's work before meeting her on set. 'I have always admired Mrunal's work from 'Super 30'. Meeting her in person, you can feel her positive confidence and energy,' he said. He added that watching her perform at the screening left him struck by the range she brought to the role: 'I was amazed at how Mrunal portrays such a plethora of emotions effortlessly.'

A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled with Vijay Raaz

For Angrish, sharing the frame with Vijay Raaz carried an almost surreal weight. 'Grown up watching Vijay Raaz's films! To be in the same frame and doing dialogues with him was like a dream come true,' he said. He described studying Raaz closely on set, noting the veteran actor's ability to toggle between registers mid-scene: 'One line with intense seriousness and the next will throw you into an uncomfortable laughter, only adding value to the script.'

How Angrish Landed the Role of Mayank Joshi

The casting of Angrish in the film was, by his own account, a spontaneous turn of events. He was at a studio attending an audition for a separate project when the team from Castingbay Mumbai asked him on the spot whether he would read for the character of Mayank Joshi. With just one hour to prepare — since the casting team was leaving Mumbai the following day — he went in and auditioned. 'A few days later, I got a call to do the part,' he recalled. The film was initially developed under the working title 'Dear Pooja', a detail Angrish said he found intriguing from the outset.

Preparing for Mayank

Once on board, Angrish had time to study the script carefully and participate in reading sessions with director Navjot Bhai and writer Vipasha Arvind. These sessions helped him understand Mayank's emotional backstory — specifically how the character of Pooja had shaped him earlier in life and how he eventually processes that history, including a pivotal courtroom sequence. 'They told me about the background of Mayank and how Pooja affected him earlier in his life,' he said.

About Nikhil Angrish

The actor has steadily built a presence in both films and streaming projects, with credits that include 'Sam Bahadur', 'Paatal Lok Season 2', 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', and 'Gaanth: Chapter 1'. His casting in 'Pooja Meri Jaan' places him alongside some of Hindi cinema's most respected performers — a step that, by his own account, he did not take for granted.