Showing posts with label Geetanjali Kulkarni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Geetanjali Kulkarni. Show all posts
Showing pandemic on screen: How have filmmakers grappled with this difficult phase & complex subject?
3:45 PM
Nandita Das’ Zwigato is the story of an ex-factory floor manager. After losing his job in the pandemic, he is forced to work as a food delivery rider and struggles to make ends meet
Three years have passed since the first Coronavirus lockdown. How have filmmakers grappled with this difficult phase & complex subject?
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 5, 2023)
From showing how relationships fared in the lockdown (Modern Love Hyderabad and Feels Like Ishq) to the financial struggle after people lost jobs (Unpaused and Zwigato) and the largescale chaos and uprooting caused by the first lockdown (Bheed and India Lockdown) – many movies and web series incorporated COVID-19 in their storylines. Three years since words like pandemic and lockdown became a permanent part of our vocabulary, we take a look at how pandemic stories were weaved into films and shows.
COVID STORYLINES EXPLORE RELATIONSHIPS IN A NEW LIGHT
Most of the shows which have pandemic storylines are about the spirit of humanity rising above the tragedy. Unpaused: Naya Safar uses the second wave of the pandemic as a major plot point and narrates five inspiring stories.
Geetanjali Kulkarni, who was in one of the episodes, spoke about filming a pandemic story, and said in an interview, “You feel heavy while shooting some scenes, as they remind you of things that either you have gone through or seen people close to you go through. But you have to keep your sanity and work.”
Nagesh Kukunoor’s episode My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner in Modern Love Hyderabad, starring Revathy and Nithya Menon, had an interesting story of a mother and a daughter living together during the lockdown. The show uses the background of the lockdown and pandemic to narrate the complexities of their relationship.
Revathy said in an interview, “I connected with the story immediately because mothers and daughters are very rarely portrayed in such a real way.”
‘A GOOD STORY PREVAILS AND FINDS ITS AUDIENCE’
In the episode Quaranteen Crush in Feels Like Ishq, director Tahira Kashyap Khurrana used the lockdown and quarantine period as a plot to narrate a love story.
Talking about filming during the pandemic, Tahira said in an interview, “The story of Quaranteen Crush is written by Gazal (Dhaliwal). When we were in Chandigarh, we developed the script and shot for three days. Prior to that, we did a lot of prep online. It was a new way of filmmaking for all of us at that time. We were a little jittery, but the process went really well.”
Commenting on the films and shows that have included COVID storylines, producer Girish Johar says, “From the last two years, filmmakers are facing this question that whether they should include COVID in the storyline or not. But now looking back at it after three years, while it is too early to relive tragedy, a good story prevails and finds its audience.”
The Family Man Season 2 ended with a scene mentioning the pandemic and the lockdown and it is being assumed that the third season will include COVID storyline. In 2020, several movie titles such as Coronavirus, One Weapon Corona and Corona – The Deadly Virus were registered, but the films are yet to be released or announced in most cases.
Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown follows four parallel stories of people stuck in the lockdown. Bhandarkar said in an interview that it was important for him as a filmmaker to document the trauma people have gone through, and he felt that after two years, people will definitely connect to the subject
In the episode My Unlikely Dream Pandemic Partner in Modern Love Hyderabad, Revathy and Nithya Menen explore the complexities of a motherdaughter relationship, as they are forced to spend time together during the lockdown
In the episode Quaranteen Crush from Feels Like Ishq, a teenage boy is seen crushing on a girl self-quarantining next door
Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed tells the story of the large-scale migration that was the result of the first country-wide lockdown. Sinha said he was primarily worried about two things – reliving the tragedy and making a black-and-white film. Reliving the tragedy through a series or a film is what most filmmakers are cautious about. So, even when a film or show includes the pandemic, it mostly is in the background and not the main story. Talking about the film’s performance, Sinha said in an interview, “People are writing pages and paragraphs (about their feelings of watching Bheed) and at the same time there is no one in the theatre. It is a bizarre feeling. I’m half happy and half intrigued.”
Sometimes, I feel I should get meatier roles and play the lead-Geetanjali Kulkarni
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Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 7, 2022)
Geetanjali Kulkarni has been a part of the entertainment industry for 25 years now, and while the actor has made a name for herself, she continues to be hungry for work. The Taj Mahal actor is constantly in the process of upskilling and learning new things.
The 49-year-old says, “I feel fortunate that at this age, I am getting so much variety. But, as an actor, you are always greedy, so I am still looking for [more] opportunities. These days, new kinds of stories are happening and they are reaching so many people… It gives me a lot of energy.”
The Cobalt Blue actor started working in the mid-90s and she chose to do theatre instead of working in TV and films. She credits her time in theatre for giving her a “strong foundation” and adds that “screen needs a different kind of skill, which I am trying to learn for the last 10 years”.
With films and OTT shows like Court (2014) and Gullak to her name, Kulkarni remembers her days as a newbie in the industry. “After I passed out from the National School of Drama (NSD), I could not connect with the work that was happening. So, I dabbled in theatre and workshops. Things are different now, but sometimes, I feel I should get meatier roles and play the lead. I also want to do international projects,” says the actor.
Last seen in Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti, the actor has already shot for a film, Minimum, and is currently shooting for the OTT series, Moonwalk.
Saba Azad, Namit Das and Geetanjali Kulkarni's Minimum highlights stories of Indian immigrants
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BOMBAY TIMES (May 12, 2022)
The film Minimum, which revolves around Indian immigrants, marks the directorial debut of writer-actor Rumana Molla. The international drama set in Belgium deals with transactional marriage and migration with love, affection and friendship at the core.
Produced by Shiladitya Bora and Radhika Lavu, the movie is slated to go on floors this June. The film’s cast features talented actors like Saba Azad, Namit Das, Geetanjali Kulkarni and Rumana in major roles. It also has four ex-Berlinale talents, writer director Rumana, director of photography Pooja Gupte, producer Shiladitya Bora and line producer Marija Stojnic.
Saba says, “I knew I had to be a part of Minimum as soon as I read it. It’s a very unusual story.” The actor, who plays a French tutor in the film, feels the character of Laurie is possibly the toughest she has taken up. “That’s because I have to do this in a language that I’m not familiar with. That’s what pulled me to the film, I knew it would test my abilities as an artist,” she shares.
Geetanjali adds, “It is an honest and detailed depiction of the life of an immigrant family. The character I play is of a person who is a survivor trying her best so that she and her son could live a better life.”
Talking about what drew him to the project, Namit says, “The name itself intrigued me. Whatever Shiladitya does, I find it very hatke and soulful. As I drowned myself in the script, I realised that it’s a deceptively simple film, with complex layers. I’m fascinated by the world of these characters.”
About working with debutant director Rumana, he says, “In my first meeting with her, I realised that she knows what she wants, and that’s the best quality for a director. I love her warmth and her vision. Minimum is her world that she dreamt about and is bringing to life – and I can’t wait to dive into it!”
Rumana says, “I feel blessed to have such an amazing cast. I have been throwing curveballs left, right and centre, and they have embraced each one of them at every step of the way. The level of enthusiasm and commitment that I have observed is rare to come by.”
Minimum, produced by Platoon One Films and Ellanar Films, will aim for a June 2023 release.
Many have told us Gullak is the only show fit for family viewing-Geetanjali Kulkarni
8:17 AM
Ahead of release of Gullak 3, Geetanjali says comedy’s simplicity makes it one of the few OTT series that a family can watch together
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 2, 2022)
Those who have seen Gullak will agree that there’s a distinct charm to it. In telling the everyday struggles of the Mishra family, the series will leave you chuckling sometimes, and at other times, misty-eyed. Ready to roll out the third season, Geetanjali Kulkarni — who plays Shanti Mishra, the sharp-tongued mother — says the comedy is a breath of fresh air in Indian digital entertainment that is overpopulated with whodunits.
“Right now, there are few shows on OTT that a family can watch together. Many have told us this is the only show [fit for family viewing]. I feel Gullak has the flavour and humour of Basu Chatterjee’s movies. The simplicity in storytelling connects with the audience,” she says.
The upcoming instalment of the SonyLIV series — also starring Jameel Khan, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar — takes the story forward after elder son Annu fails to land a job while younger son Aman passes his examination with flying colours. To Kulkarni, it is heartening to see how the central characters have evolved over the three editions.
“The show has an honest and compelling storyline, which aligns with its relatable characters. These individual [tracks] will be explored in greater depth this season. The characters have matured in different aspects, and that reflects in how they handle things.”
Twelfth Night actor Geetanjali Kulkarni says that it was tricky but fun to play a role that had her switching genders
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Twelfth Night actor Geetanjali Kulkarni discusses a role that has her switching genders
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 4, 2021)
Following her acts in films like Court (2014), Sir (2018), Photograph (2019) and the recently released series, Gullak, Geetanjali Kulkarni is set to step into the world of Bard. Slipping into the role of Viola in Zee Theatre’s musical adaptation of the Shakespearean comedy, Twelfth Night, the actor will headline the adaptation, Piya Behrupiya, helmed by Atul Kumar.
“This adaptation highlights the time when Viola is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, and separated from her twin brother. She dresses up like a man, acquires a different name, and works for the Duke. A complicated love triangle develops between her, the Duke and Olivia. The entire play is about mistaken identities and I am the pivot from where all the fun begins,” she says.
As though showcasing two genders wasn’t challenging enough, Kulkarni was tasked with the job of portraying the confusion of a girl who has to behave like a boy. “It was tricky, but fun.”
That the show will be available in a teleplay format is an exciting development for the actor. “We used the nautanki genre to interpret the play. The audience will enjoy it because it has music, and laughter. Some people have watched the play 10 times over. There is so little positivity around us at the moment that just to be able to feel happiness is a blessing.”
We have remained true to the story, says Geetanjali Kulkarni on Gullak 2
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Winning glowing reviews for her performance in Gullak 2, Geetanjali Kulkarni on why the show about a middle-class family has got everyone talking
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; January 26, 2021)
Earlier this month, the Mishra family returned to the screen, ready with their all-too-relatable daily struggles and wise introspective lessons. While SonyLIV’s Gullak 2 is worthy of the rave reviews coming its way, Geetanjali Kulkarni as Shanti Mishra, the sharp-tongued mother who keeps goading her sons to do better, is the scene-stealer. “The best part about the second season is that it is more nuanced while retaining the feel of the original edition. Our characters have matured in different aspects. Usually, if the first season is appreciated, makers tend to take more risks and change everything around in the following instalment. But here, we have remained true to the story,” says the actor.
Tell her that the series, complete with its small anecdotes that have big heart, is often compared to the gem, Hum Log, and she says that middle-class stories have an innate appeal to them. She reasons, “Middle-class people face various challenges, but they become wiser with time. They solve their own problems and are jugadu in a way. They have countless experiences to share, which in turn, resonate with the audience.”
The National School of Drama student kicked off her career with theatre, before carving her niche in cinema with acclaimed films like Court (2014) and Sir (2019). She believes that the Chaitanya Tamhane-directed legal drama has been the turning point of her career. “Court has been a game-changer for me. All the directors who have approached me have been a fan of the film. It helped me get noticed.”
Geetanjali said that I didn't deserve a National award for Chandni Bar-Atul Kulkarni
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He has won National Awards and her film is India's entry to the Oscars, but acclaim doesn't stop this couple from being critical and committed
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 4, 2015)
Atul Kulkarni met his wife Geetanjali at the National School of Drama in 1993, where he was her senior. Having been married for 19 years, the two are yet to work together. "It just hasn't happened," says Atul casually, leaning against the window of their Goregaon apartment. Geetanjali quickly adds, "When you're married, you know each other so well, you can't see the other objectively. I'd feel uncomfortable considering him just as a co-actor and not my husband." Atul suggests that they try it once, "as an exercise". "Also as human beings," laughs Geetanjali.
But not sharing the stage or screen hasn't kept them from being each other's worst critic. "She said that I didn't deserve a National award for Chandni Bar and that Hey Ram was about okay," Atul laughs. "No, I said you deserved it for Hey Ram only," Geetanjali says defensively.
Despite picking the same vocation, the two have disparate influences. While Geetanjali, who was raised in Mumbai, studied in Ruia College and looked up to theatre legend Bhakti Barve and screen idol Smita Patil, Atul grew up in Sholapur, didn't have a TV till his 10th standard and remembers Haathi Mere Saathi as the first movie he watched. "I never had idols. There shouldn't be an influencer, be it in acting or life. I did plays in college and liked the craft. Since I was an academic failure, I felt acting gave me an identity," says the actor who dropped out of engineering. "My parents were justifiably worried then, but there was no drama at home. At the time, especially in middle-class families, 'extra-curricular activities' (I hate that word) were allowed to those who excelled in curriculum," says the actor, who made his theatre debut in Chandrakant Kulkarni's Gandhi Virudh Gadhi (1995). His wife concurs, "I grew up watching Ray on TV and loved theatre too but couldn't share my passion with my parents as I didn't score good marks. Luckily, I got a scholarship to join NSD so I didn't have to depend on my parents."
Following NSD, Atul's theatre debut got him his first Hindi film, Hey Ram, and later Chandni Bar (both won him National Awards), but the actor says, "Winning a National Award does nothing to you. When Chandni Bar became a hit, I decided to stay on. I love the craft and don't miss theatre." Geetanjali, whose career has largely gravitated towards the stage, feels otherwise, "My personality is more suited to theatre. I love the process," she says. In fact, a reason why she accepted her role in India's Oscar entry, Court, had to do with the exercise that preceded filming. "We had workshops and sessions for almost 3-4 months before we commenced shooting. This included rehearsals, observing court sessions, having talks with Sambhaji Bhagat on the rebel folk singing culture," says the actress who made her stage debut in Paresh Mukashe's Mukkam Post Bombilwadi in 2000.
Preparing for a role also factors in life experiences, she adds. "Before I played a lawyer in Court, I had never seen one or met a lawyer in my life. So I had to learn the vocabulary. But I didn't need to rehearse the kitchen scenes because I know how to cook." A taxing prep, she says, was playing an elephant in Mohit Takalkar's Gajab Kahani, an adaptation of Jose Saramago's The Elephant's Journey. "I observed elephants and practiced their walk and stance. I did yoga and even learnt Kalaripayattu as elephants have a lot of strength and I had to build on my core. I also worked on my speech pattern, to sound less like a human being."
Even Atul enjoys sinking into his character's skin. "In a Marathi film called Devrai, I played a schizophrenic. To prepare for the role, I adopt the logic with which that character processes things. But since this one didn't follow any, to understand and empathise with that, was a challenge."
But challenges of essaying a character, he adds, vary with every film. "Acting is not always an accident. Knowing your craft may help with one film, unlearning may help with another."
Turning producer with Rajwade And Sons (releasing this month), a Marathi film where he shares the screen with Sachin Khedekar, Atul feels his new job is "1000 times more challenging". "Unlike an actor, a producer is a decision maker. I need to be concerned with marketing, in-film branding and making the project viable. Films don't flop, budget do. Your speculations have to be backed by calculations. Your emotions, anxieties or competitor's strategies can't drive your decisions. Things can go wrong but you have to minimise the impact and safeguard your film." His wife smiles, adding, "He's a good businessman and a lot more confident than I am."
Court goes to Oscars; a rare case which attracts positive response from all film folk
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Industry folk hail Court’s selection as India’s official entry to the 88th Academy Awards, cast and crew elated over big feat
Anirban Das & Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; September 24, 2015)
It is finally official. Court, Chaitanya Tamhane’s multilingual arthouse drama which struggled long for a theatrical release, has been chosen as India’s contender in the foreign language film category at the 2016 Oscars. Earlier this year, it had bagged the Best Feature Film honour at the 62nd National Film Awards apart from 20-odd international awards, including the Lion Of The Future and Best Film in the Orrizonti category at last year’s Venice International Film Festival.
For the official entry to the 88th Academy Awards, the low-budget movie sans big names edged past strong contenders like Baahubali, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, PK and Piku. In fact, until yesterday, Tamil movie Kaakka Muttai was said to be leading the race to the Oscar competition. But now Court, which highlighted the working of India’s bureaucracy-ridden judicial system, is being labelled as a worthy choice for Oscar consideration. This is also the first time in years that the selection has not generated difference of opinion or dissent among industry folk.
Filmmaker Amole Gupte says, “Court is a good choice. My pick, however, was Killa.” His contemporary, Sudhir Mishra welcomes
the decision of the Film Federation of India jury headed by Amol Palekar
and states: “Court is a wonderful choice. I congratulate Amol and his
team for the fantastic selection. The way the story has been told is
great. It has a unique voice, an ability which is rare and shows the
direction that new Indian cinema is headed in.”
Elated over the news,
Court director Chaitanya Tamhane, who is currently in Japan, issued a
statement that reads: “At every juncture of the film’s journey, we have
felt that it has given us more than we could ever imagine. Once again,
this has come as a genuine surprise to both Vivek (Gomber,
actor-producer) and me. Ever since we started working on the film, we
kept our expectations low. Especially in this case (Oscar selection),
since these results tend to be so unpredictable. It just felt
like a wise thing to not expect too much. Now that it has actually
happened, we would like to thank the jury for its decision and everyone
who has supported the film so far.”
Well known theatre actress Geetanjali Kulkarni, who played a public prosecutor in the film, recalls how Vivek took the responsibility of producing the film, which was struggling to get a financer on board. “I must say he did a good job and fulfilled his responsibilty. He never got into mathematics of production, otherwise the film would not have reached the audience. It was Chaitanya’s debut film and whenever he approached people, they told him it should be his fifth film and not the first one. However, he was ready to take a risk and went ahead with his conviction. He was not scared of failure or rejection. The team dedicated its time to work on post production and patiently waited for its release,” she adds.
With so many big films in the race for the Oscar selection, the Court team hardly had any expectations of making it through, admits Geetanjali and adds: “This is the first time that a film which won a National Award is going to the Oscars. Incidentally, that announcement (about National Award win) also came when our film was about to release, which helped us immensely.”
The celebrations, however, have to wait since Chaitanya and Vivek are both currently in Japan. “I have spoken to them over text messages and rest of the cast members are also in different cities now, so we could not celebrate the big news. Once they come back, we will have a party,” she says.
Geetanjali, however, refuses to tag Court as a ‘regional’ film. “It has Gujarati, Hindi and English content as well. It is, in fact, an advantage that we have so much diversity which gives us the opportunity and energy to present different subjects in different languages. We should feel blessed that we can represent ourselves in various ways,” adds the actress.
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Shortly after news trickled in about 'Court' being named as India's entry to the Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film category, veteran filmmaker Rahul Rawail resigned from the jury. Speaking to hitlist, Rawail said, "I had no disagreement over the selection of 'Court'. I am proud of the choice, in fact. So, my resignation had nothing to do with it.""We had a lot of great films in the reckoning and were proud that those films were made in India. We had a great jury and all the people have great knowledge of cinema. I only had a problem with the way the whole process was conducted."
"Two films were in a neck-and-neck race, and the film, which I had voted for, was being manipulated for more votes to come to it. I resigned because of the manipulation of the whole system which did not suit me. From day one, it had been such. I don't want to take names right now. But I can tell you that my whole grouse was with the chairman, Amol Palekar, not with Court's selection."
Rawail later tweeted: "Jst wanna clarify tht am proud of Court n fully support its selection I resigned from the Oscar jury bcoz of Mr Palekars obnoxious behaviour (sic)."
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