Deepali Singh (DNA; January 19, 2019)

After playing heavy-duty roles in movies such as Pink (2016), Indu Sarkar (2017) and last week’s release, Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kirti Kulhari says that her web series, Four More Shots Please! was a refreshing change for her. Playing a single mother in the show that revolves around the lives of four friends has not only broadened her horizons, but the actress says she has also gained confidence in herself, as an actor and as a person.

“I wanted to really evolve as an actor and face my fears,” says Kirti, who admits that initially, she was apprehensive about playing a single mother on the Amazon Prime Video show. “After all, we are operating in a space like Bollywood, where everyone is judging you and are more than eager to typecast you,” she states. Secondly, the artiste wanted to push her boundaries as an actor. “It’s a bold show, but it doesn’t have sex for titillation. I have seen actors doing bold scenes, especially internationally and I feel so much respect and admiration for them. In a world when you are uncomfortable being naked in front of your partner, here you are naked in front of the whole world. Imagine how secure you are as a person! I have always wondered when I would reach a stage like that without feeling ashamed or apologetic. That’s another boundary I wanted to push and I got that opportunity with this show,” she says.

With movies like Veere Di Wedding (2018) and web shows like The Trip exploring female friendships, does she feel this space is here to stay and grow? “For sure,” believes Kirti, “It’s high time we explored this space. In the show, we are four women who represent different kinds of women who exist in different ways in different set-ups. But the fact that makers are experimenting in this arena where they are getting into the mindsets of today’s women is significant. Even the audience wants to see this world,” she signs off.