He dapper. She gorgeous. Together they have an electrifying chemistry. Yash Daasguptaa and Nussrat Jahan. The actor and producer pair set sail with t2 on the Ganges aboard a bedecked ‘Dolce Vita’ by The Barge Company for a special Valentine’s Day shoot. As the dipping sun painted the sky above the Howrah Bridge a million shades of orange and red, and cast its warm glow on the calm ripples, Nussrat and Yash drank in the beauty together, the frames capturing a thousand memories bearing promises of eternity. She whispered and he laughed. He cracked a joke and a smile lit up her face. Moments of togetherness that made for a memorable evening. Post-shoot, the lovely couple sat down for a candid chat with us on love, romance, their life together and watching Disney films and cartoons!
Tell us how it was shooting this special t2 feature...
Yash: The shoot was beautiful, an innovative concept. We had been to the Outram ghat before for a regular boat ride, but the feeling in the speedboat was completely different. It was nicely decorated and we had champagne, cakes and flowers. It was a lovely experience and it had been long since we’d been able to go out on a romantic date....
Nussrat: Thank you for organising one for us. We are always ready to do a photo shoot for t2 and this was a very new experience for us. The florals were so pretty and the ambience you guys created for us was just perfect. There were chocolates and strawberries. It was a thoughtful way of enjoying this day. Though you should make each other feel special every day, because it is V-Day and the couples want to do something out of the box, this was just so romantic.
Yash: While we were shooting, Nussrat sometimes forgot she was in the middle of a shoot because the ambience was such, enjoying the sunset.
Nussrat: How many times do you get to connect with nature like this and enjoy the sunset in your city?
Yash: We can always connect to sunsets because that’s how it all began for us... and I love the water....
Nussrat: He says if you want to keep me happy, let me be near water. And, I have seen his mood change. He gets more calm.
Yash: There was Vidyasagar Setu on one side and Howrah Bridge on the other and we could hear chants of the Ganga arati.
Nussrat: The backdrop of the Howrah Bridge was so special for me.
Do you also fall in love with your city all over again when you spend an evening like this?
Nussrat: I do. I remember being four months pregnant and telling Yash that I wanted to see the sunset on the Ganges.
Yash: It was in the middle of the pandemic and we were in our masks and caps...
Nussrat: We hopped onto a boat to see the sunset. It was very romantic.
Yash: The Ganges has always fascinated me and I am a water baby and for special days we always plan outings near the river or the ocean.
Are romance and love different?
Yash: Yeah, love is an everyday affair, while romance needs planning.Nussrat: Yeah, creating the ambience and the mood. Love is like waking up with the same person and him seeing me with my worst face and hair... and I will too see him differently... not the hero Yash...Yash: I always look great when I wake up!(Everyone goes ROFL)Nussrat: Yes, you do... well, I wake up very normal and am happy waking up like that.... (Yash laughs out loud), but jokes apart, you have to work on a relationship every day.
Nussrat, Yash was telling us you still have a nanny!
Nussrat: (Laughs out loud) She has been with me since I was 1.5 months old!
Yash: She is her nanny! We have got nannies for everyone at home, except for me! (Laughs)
Nussrat: (Laughs out loud) How can you say that?! No, but now I can pack my bags. Yash packs his bags so well and when I pack and compare, I am shattered. I am clumsy. I can tie my shoelaces now!t2: What?!Yash: Her ‘nanny’ used to do it!
Nussrat: I just can’t seem to ace the shoelaces! But now I can manage.
How have you both contributed to each other’s lives?
Yash: Her way of dealing with things is very different if I compare it to how I deal with things. I keep learning a lot from her. She gives a completely different perspective and that really helps me. In general, she has this spontaneous approach to things. I, on the other hand, calculate a lot and plan. I have learnt to improvise and adapt a bit from her.
Nussrat: I figure my way out after taking the plunge and I am impulsive. What I have learnt from him is that sometimes it’s better to think before you leap. But, at times, I do tell Yash to not think so much and just go for it.
Yash: There are things which you need to plan and then improvisation works in some cases.
Nussrat: So, we balance each other (smiles).
What do you attribute this incredible chemistry to?
Yash: Just being ourselves. People usually say, put your best foot forward. I believe you should put your worst foot forward because your partner should be able to accept you at your worst.
Nussrat: I loved the worst also and then the best would always be adorable.
Yash: Even she didn’t put her best foot forward!
Nussrat: Why should I? (Laughs) We are very different as people and initially, we used to be very competitive, so what, if we were in love?
Yash: Say, she has been dressed by her designer and then she sees me looking better than her and all of a sudden she stops liking what she is wearing!
Nussrat: I accept it!
Yash: ‘Why does the kid love you more?’, ‘Why does the dog love you more?’, ‘Everybody loves you, no one loves me!’
Nussrat: Eta rojkar jhogra barite, but I feed and bathe them (their son and the dog)!
How was it working together on your first production Sentimentaaal? Did it bring you closer?
Yash: It did. We are workaholics. I can tell you that we might have fought in our personal lives, but at work, there have been no fights. The chemistry in our professional life is much better and it actually amazed me.
Nussrat: Even I didn’t realise we would work so well together.
Yash: There were no ego clashes.
Nussrat: You living together is a different kind of stability but when you start working together too, you become stronger together. There have been days when we have broken down at work and have celebrated the good days too. Yes, there was a lot of pressure, but it’s been a good start.
Yash: Now, it’s making us crave more.
Nussrat: It was Yash’s brainchild and I really thought it wasn’t my cup of tea in the beginning. He convinced me.
Yash: She has been in this industry for so long and I wasn’t going to buy that it wasn’t her cup of tea.
It’s love of a different kind...
Yash: Yeah... (smiles)
Nusrat: It’s a different angle of a love story when you romance work together.
Yash: It brings in a lot of respect for each other. The best part of being in the same profession is you understand. You face failures together.
Nussrat: Life cannot be a bed of roses. Everyone has their own struggles and journeys, but there is that strong bonding wherein, together, you can face more stormy days.
How has the meaning of love changed as you both grew and matured as individuals?
Yash: More than words, I believe in actions.
Nussrat: He is romantic, otherwise I wouldn’t have landed up with him. He is into books and flowers. He is everything that women romanticise about. He is the Mills & Boon kind. He matched my perception of love, which is why we are together. As you grow together, you cover up each other’s flaws in the most beautiful way and nurture each other. From Mills & Boon to hitting the reality and then rising from there, that’s what love should be in today’s times for any couple.
Yash: I think love can be permanent but what you can most often lose out on is desirability.
Nussrat: I am a born diva! (Laughs) We make the effort to get ready for date nights. I enjoy that. Marriage can get boring, but you have to keep the spark alive. Yash suggests hair and make-up changes often when I am getting ready....
Yash: I like to keep an eye on my girl, but what is a spark? I am not saying that if your partner gets fat, you won’t love them, but what you lose out on is the spark, what made you fall in love with that person in the first place.... Look after yourselves for your partner, for your kids and yourself.
Nussrat: You live longer, you love longer! I will look great even with my grey hair and you (to Yash) will look great in salt and pepper.
What are you planning this V-Day?
Yash: We are planning on a staycation.
Romance right...
Book:Nussrat: Love Story by Erich Segal
Music:Nussrat: We have similar taste in music. On days, we play ‘90s or old English songs.
Yash: Aashiqui (1990), Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee (1993)...
Movies: Yash: I don’t like romantic films.
Nussrat: He goes to sleep and usually, I watch it alone! (Laughs)Yash: She loves The Notebook. We usually have a movie night every day. In Maldives, we watched The Nun II.
Nussrat: I love horror films.
Yash: It’s great for romance! (Laughs)
Nussrat: Lately, we have been watching a lot of action films. Yash: We love Disney also! It is nostalgia for me and it is so beautiful that you want to be in that world.
Nussrat: The one hundredth and one reason why I married him was he loves Disney films!
Yash: One night we were watching Tom & Jerry while having dinner.
The Ganges was one twinkling beauty in the evening. Yash and Nussrat stole a few moments of us-time on the deck of The Bengal Paddle. “The Bengal Paddle is our flagship vessel, built in 1945. Our directors, Yaswant and Basant Singhee, resurrected it from disrepair in 2022 to ensure that India’s last remaining paddle steamer was not lost from the country’s heritage map. It truly is an engineering and aesthetic marvel. For us it’s the perfect example of vintage luxury and should be on everyone’s bucket list for the city,” said Rishika and Piyush. The young couple who have set out to give Calcutta unique riverfront experiences loved our concept. “For us the experience was really seamless and well-timed. On Valentine’s Day, we at The Barge Company wanted to showcase the river as the most romantic backdrop in the city and this shoot with the powerhouse couple, Nussrat and Yash, seemed really opportune in being able to showcase our latest launch,” they smiled.
Location: Dolce Vita and The Bengal Paddle by The Barge Company
Yash’s wardrobe: Kommal & Ratul Sood Yash’s hair: Kamal Hassan
Nussrat and Yash’s make-up: Kaju Guha
Nussrat’s hair: Naaz
Nussrat’s styling: Kiara Sen
Confectionery platter and champagne: Kookie Jar
Floral decoration: The Custom Krafts
