Actress Smriti Kalra, who debuted last year with an OTT release Cash recently ventured into the world of audio entertainment with her upcoming Amazon audibles audio series Malang Ishq.
And now, she will be seen in the upcoming film Kagaaz 2 as one of the leads along with Darshan Kumar and Anupam Kher.
A short chat with the actress on the same:
Tell us about your film Kaagaz 2?
I said yes to Kagaaz2 because films are a medium through which you can reach out to people and this film has entertainment value and also touches the pulse of the common man. It brings to light the plight of a common man and the role that I get to play (lead role) is to an extent like me. So, I totally relate to her. I was getting to play a girl who knew her mind. And when I read the script I knew that no one else would be able to do it better than I.
Tell us a little about your role and how did you prepare for the same?
I play a girl who is well-versed and well-read. She is aware of the surroundings and knows what is happening. Today’s most powerful tool is social media and she uses it for the right reasons. As of now, I can just divulge that. How she puts across her thoughts beautifully and for a cause is something which I also do in my life. So, I totally relate to her.
How was the experience of shooting for the film and any memorable incident?
Every experience is new and it teaches you and leaves so many memories with you. I got to work with such veterans like Satish Kaushik, the director of the film VK Prakash (who has also won a National award for his film), Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar and Neena Gupta and our writer Ankur. All of them are so talented and I just felt that I am a sponge and I am absorbing everything I can.
How was it working with Anupam Kher?
Anupam Kher is an actor par excellence and so well-read. I didn’t have a lot to shoot with him but whatever montages I shot with him I thoroughly enjoyed. He was very kind and fond of food. I am a foodie too so we got along very well on that level. While shooting in Lucknow we ate a lot of galawati kebabs and other rLucknawi delectables.
You have also recently ventured into audio shows with Malang Ishq. How was the experience.
During the pandemic, I used to do a show called ‘Sunday live session 9 pm with me Smriti Kalra’ in which I took up topics that affected us. And a lot of Instagram users reached out to me telling me that I haver got a wonderful voice, I have been a radio jockey earlier and when I got the opportunity to helm Malang Ishq, a romantic suspense crime thriller, I said yes. I never did anything like this before where I had to just emote everything with my voice and the response was overwhelming.
What have you learnt all this while?
Nothing comes to you easily, you have to work for everything you do. You need to have patience, determination, ability, aptitude, will and want. I have never thought that life has been difficult for me, I have just kept on working and whatever came to me I took it. But, I would like to add that life in this industry has not always been easy. I have had to wait patiently for the right roles I wanted. I had to work hard to get them.