Exclusive: Laapataa Ladies' Phool, aka Nitanshi Goel, recalls her first meeting with Aamir Khan, says, 'He was just so warm and so welcoming'

Nitanshi Goel hails from Noida and she became a household name as Phool from Laapataa Ladies

Bollywood actress Nitanshi Goel's journey has been nothing short of a fairytale. From a girl with big dreams to making her debut in the critically acclaimed 'Laapataa Ladies,' her story is one of hard work and dedication.

In an exclusive interview with Money Control, Nitanshi Goel shared her experiences, focusing on her journey and the first time she met Bollywood's Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan.

Nitanshi told us that it was a defining moment in her journey when she first met with Aamir Khan for the auditions. Aamir Khan Productions had produced 'Laapataa Ladies.'

Nitanshi said the prospect of meeting Aamir Khan was initially daunting; however, her nervousness quickly dissipated upon meeting him. "He was just so warm and so welcoming to us."

"Before I was going to meet him, I was going to meet Aamir sir from the Dangal version because I had seen that film plenty of times. But then when I met him, he was just so warm and so welcoming to us," she said.

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"I feel it was one of my most memorable days. I can't forget every single second of it, from the morning audition to the same-day lunch meet with Aamir sir to him complimenting my performance. The entire day was like woosh magic," she added.

The movie received a lukewarm response upon its release in theaters, but after it started streaming on OTT, the movie became the most loved, with many calling it a cult film.

Laapataa Ladies was also named as India's official entry to the Oscars 2025. Though the film failed to make it to the top 15 shortlist of Oscars this year. But ever since it was announced as the entry, Nitanshi says life after the Oscars announcement has been "uphill" and "magical" for her.

The appreciation for the film and her portrayal of Phool Kumari has been overwhelming, especially the international response, which she never expected.

"Life post Oscars has been uphill. It has been magical, the kind of appreciation that the film and my performance of Phool are getting. And the fact that I never really believed that my performance could resonate with audiences abroad as well. The kind of love they're giving to Phool across the globe, it's over, but in a very good way," she told us over the phone.

Was a fan of K Drama 

Nitanshi said before taking on the role of this village belle, she was the girl who loved to watch Korean drama.

Despite the whirlwind experience, Nitanshi said she had a strong feeling she would play Phool. "Somewhere in my heart, I knew that this character is going to be represented by me, and I'm going to portray her life to the world," she stated.

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Nitanshi says working on "Laapataa Ladies" felt like attending a 'school of cinema.' "The experience was beautiful. I always say that this felt like kind of going to the school of cinema where you get the best of the best. You get Aamir sir, you get Kiran ma'am, you get such a beautiful story, a beautiful character to portray. And with this, that, working hard, playing Phool, living her, the story went on and on, and now the film is for everyone out to see," she added.

Nitanshi said she was most inspired by Kangana Ranaut's role of Rani in Queen and she always wanted to do something similar. She says when Phool came to her she felt 'this is me.'

"I felt so thrilled when a character like Phool came up to me. It's so rare. I think the last time I've seen a character, so it was something so relatable to me. Queen's Rani, which Kangana ma'am played. I remember when I saw that scene, I was like, this is me. I'm her. And I would love to tell such innocent story once, and then when I got Phool, I was like, this is my chance. This is my chance to show all of the innocence that I have in the US. And so, yes, I would want more characters like school to be written in Hindi cinema," she concluded.

Nitanshi, who originally hails from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, is currently busy with her upcoming projects. She was also named in the UK list of the Top 50 Asian Celebrities in the World previewed in London.

Nitanshi, at 17 years old, was the youngest on the list, and Amitabh Bachchan was the oldest on that list.

Laapataa Ladies had Nitanshi along with Pratibha Ranta and Sparsh Shrivastav along with Ravi Kishen in the lead roles. The movie is streaming on Netflix.