By her own admission, Kirti Kulhari, 38, was a hypersensitive child. "I would sulk in a corner if someone said something mean. My relatives would pass comments about how I keep crying."
Kulhari was in Class 7 when a teacher accused her of using her tears "as weapon". That a statement formed a core memory. Emotions are powerful tools, she's come to learn. They can make you feel things. And when expressed right, they can make viewers feel things too.
Kulhari's acting career spans 13-odd years. She made her debut in the comedy Khichdi: The Movie (2010), playing Pammi, a much-jilted bride who finally gets hitched. She's best known for playing Anjana in Four More Shots Please! (2019-), who walks out of a bad marriage and faces life as a single mom. In the courtroom drama, Pink (2011), she's Falak, a young Faridabad professional who pays the price after her roommate attacks a sexual assaulter. In the black comedy Blackmail (2018), she's the woman cheating on her husband, prompting him to plot revenge.
Kulhari excels at playing a kind of everywoman caught in a bad situation. She doesn't always get the soliloquies, the zinger dialogues. But audiences come away remembering her quiet courage.
"I am the character. I live every moment they do on screen," Kulhari says. "But it doesn't mean that I need to feel that pain myself to portray it. That distance is something I have created." That process of detachment has been slow, hard-won, and has come with tears of its own.
Breaking point
Denne historien er fra October 21, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 21, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of
Rail against the machine
Valay Shende's Virar Fast depicts more than Mumbai's constant state of rush. Despite the struggle, there's empathy too
No need for soirée excuses
Not all party guests are created equal. Make sure you have an escape plan, in case you're stuck with someone dull
100 years, one epic dinner
How did the Hindustan Times celebrate its centenary in Delhi? With a lavish, ambitious dinner served by a top chef, in a magical garden. It can never be done again
Sauce and sorcery
Video projections on your plate, holograms dancing at the table, customised tunes with every course. Tech's coming to dinner. Will you reorder or reboot?
Who hates the haters now?
Online trolls used to terrify influencers. Now, hate is hardly a surprise. It's a sign of engagement, real viewers; a chance to clap back and wield power. Take a look
Are you earring this?
Don't put the heavy jewellery back in storage after the festivities. Stylists offer tips on how to wear them all year and still look chic
Clash of clans: Festive edit
Set boundaries, ask your own questions, prep for the prying moments. Here's how to survive the family gathering without going nuts
Krutika
Content creator, @TheMermaidScales