Pulkit is a fantastic actor: Kriti Kharbanda

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Dubai - Bollywood actress talks new thriller Taish, acting alongside her boyfriend and that conversation with Chris Hemsworth

by

Ambica Sachin

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Published: Thu 29 Oct 2020, 6:11 PM

Last updated: Thu 29 Oct 2020, 6:17 PM

Not many can boast of conversing with Hollywood heartthrob Chris Hemsworth during the Covid pandemic that saw most parts of the world in enforced lockdown. For Kriti Kharbanda who had been socially isolating with beau Pulkit Samrat, the pandemic may have brought its own share of insecurities, but she also had many positives to keep her high.

Spending it with her boyfriend was one and hosting a wellness webinar with one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors was clearly the other. Kriti, who has not seen her own family for over 10 months due to the travel restrictions in India, coped with the lockdown by enjoying the baking done by her beau. And then of course, she has Taish by Bejoy Nambiar (streaming now on ZEE5), that casts her opposite the talented Jim Sarbh; a thriller that also stars her real life boyfriend.


On her character in Taish

“I play Aarfa Khan in Taish — a Pakistani Muslim born and brought up in the UK. She is an orthopedic surgeon by profession. She’s the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability — qualities every human needs to possess.


“In an ensemble, you take away the emphasis from the individual, which is a human tendency. You always think of yourself first and that’s a good thing to do but maybe not when it comes to teamwork — you need to think of everyone also at the same time.

“For me the excitement was being a part of this world Bejoy Nambiar was creating. Having a great role to play was the cherry on top.”

Movie Vs. Web Series

“I just feel blessed as an actor that even through this pandemic I am able to perform and entertain the audience. The fact Taish has been turned into a six-part series was a creative call taken between the OTT platform and the director. With the series they will tap into each character to give it a bit of background story.

“I don’t think it matters when you are shooting whether you are shooting a web series, or if you are shooting a feature film or even an ad.

“A shoot is a shoot; your work is your work and if you are going to choose whether to give 100 per cent or more depending on the platform you are shooting for then you are a failure as an actor according to me. It’s a choice you made and you have to give it your 100 per cent.”

Acting with Pulkit

“Acting is my first love. It made no difference to me (that she was acting with real life boyfriend Pulkit) — I enjoy his company as a costar.

“He is a fantastic actor. And I don’t think your personal dynamics should change what happens on the professional set. That’s something we are both very clear about. And we are both very headstrong that way.

Pulkit Samrat with Kriti Kharbanda (AFP)
Pulkit Samrat with Kriti Kharbanda (AFP)

“We both know how to separate our personal and professional life and that’s the only important thing cause that’s the only thing that lets you grow.

“If his presence or absence is going to make a difference in my professional life then there is something either wrong with my personal life or my professional life. It’s great to have his energy on set. But that doesn’t change for me on another set where he is absent.

“A lot of people were pleasantly surprised that there is boy who plays these sweet lovable characters in films like Fukrey and then they seem him like this in Taish — it is a proud moment for me not just as his girlfriend, but even as a coactor.”

What viewers can expect from Taish

“They should expect high octane adventure. What will keep you glued is that you will not know what will happen till the last frame and that’s what Bejoy Nambiar is known for. He knows how to keep the mystery alive.

“What I love most about Taish is it has no proper definition of right and wrong — the idea is to show that your negative could be my positive and my positive could be your negative so everyone has their story and has dealt with their own share of drama which is what has brought them to where they are today. The characters are going to be extremely relatable because rage is an emotion that all of us share.

“What Bejoy is going to share with this film is that everyone’s rage is justified and everyone is justified in their own form of rage.

Lockdown lessons

“The kind of uncertainty that the pandemic brought was not easy to deal with. While my life looked all in place and happy on social media, there are personal emotions you don’t share with anybody.

“Just like very other human being on the planet, I went through my share of anxiety, of being afraid, of not seeing family. It’s been 10 months since I saw my parents. Thank God for the Internet and the video calling features on our phone.

“What I also learnt during this time is that we are responsible for our own happiness and its up to you whether you want to pick yourself up or give up… and I’m glad that I chose to pick myself up and say, stop being sad, go bake some bread!”

In truth she admits Pulkit is the one who’s good at baking. “I can barely make pancakes...”

Social media influencer

During the lockdown the actress also co-hosted a webinar with Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth where the duo discussed wellness. “I’ve always been an advocate for mental as well as physical health,” she says. “It was more about creating awareness so that people understand how important it is especially at a time like this — it is good to pamper yourself mentally and physically.

“I was obviously excited about speaking to him (Chris Hemsworth) more so since he was known globally and hopefully a lot more people will understand the importance of mental and physical wellness.

“I was extremely excited to be talking to someone who I looked up to as an actor. And I have to add he has a beautiful home!

“So that was my silver lining in the pandemic — that I had a conversation with Chris Hemsworth that I really enjoyed!”


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