Wamiqa Gabbi Says She Only Did ‘83’ To Visit London Before Quitting Bollywood: 'I Wanted To...'

Wamiqa Gabbi is finally reaping the rewards of years of hard work, with her latest film Bhool Chuk Maaf, co-starring Rajkummar Rao, striking a chord with audiences. But few know that the 31-year-old actor—who has shared screen space with some of India’s biggest stars—once considered quitting Bollywood altogether.

During a recent promotional interview for Bhool Chuk Maaf with director Karan Sharma and co-star Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa opened up about her early days in cinema and the challenges that nearly led her to walk away from it all.

“I was full of dreams back then," she said, reflecting on her start as a background artist in Imtiaz Ali’s films. “I was maybe in 7th grade, and that’s when I shot Jab We Met (2007). My initial learnings of how to be on set came from my experience there. I used to observe the notes Imtiaz Sir used to give, and I’m glad that I was around him, Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan."

She recalled a touching memory from the sets of Love Aaj Kal, where the team surprised her on her birthday. “Imtiaz Sir had called me for Love Aaj Kal through e-mail. During the shoot, my birthday came along, and they ordered a cake on set. And I was a background artist, so everyone celebrating my birthday was a big moment for me."

But as time passed and the industry became her full-time profession, Wamiqa began to feel lost. By 2019, despite working on multiple projects, she was facing a creative crisis.

“In 2019 I was doing a couple of films, and I wasn’t enjoying myself or learning anything," she admitted. “I was also not in touch with my art back then. Because of that, I wanted to quit the profession."

That was when she was offered a small role in Kabir Khan’s ’83. While she was initially hesitant, Wamiqa eventually took the part—but not for the reasons one might expect. “Although I wasn’t open to small roles, I said yes because I thought it was a good chance to visit London and to get some clarity regarding what I wanted to do.

It turned out to be a turning point. “Although I wasn’t expecting much, being on the set of ’83 reminded me why I fell in love with acting in the first place."

The film, which featured Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Hardy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Pankaj Tripathi, and others, helped Wamiqa re-discover her love for the craft. From that moment on, she charted a new trajectory for herself in the industry.

Since ’83, Wamiqa has delivered acclaimed performances in web series such as Jubilee and Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of the Solang Valley, and films including Khufiya (2023), Tabaah (2024), and Baby John (2024). Now, with Bhool Chuk Maaf (2025), she stands as one of the most promising talents of her generation.