Having found her footing in Bollywood by playing unconventional roles after her 2009 debut in Dev. D, actor Kalki Koechlin said that she is pleased with how female actors are now making progress in Hindi cinema.
Talking about the changes that she has witnessed for women in Bollywood over her seven-year journey in tinsel town, Kalki said, “I think there has been some consciousness in that aspect. For instance, in films such as Queen and Piku, we saw female leads holding the film on their own without the backing of a male lead. I think that’s a very intelligent point.”
But could women-centric films simply be a phase that the industry is going through? “Phases and trends happen because there is a need for them. I believe women are empowered and as long as women are in need of being recognised, I think this phase will continue,” said the 32-year-old star.
Kalki, who is active on the theatre front too, has starred in commercial hits such as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani andHappy Ending. She has balanced that with power-packed performances in off-beat projects such as Shaitan, Girl In Yellow Boots, Margarita With A Straw and Waiting. She won a Special Jury National Award for her role as a teenager with cerebral palsy in Margarita with a Straw. The actor was quick to point that she would gladly do more commercial films if they came her way. Speaking about why feature films don’t receive the same amount of distribution as commercial films do, the actor said, “Parallel cinema or small budget films don’t get the same amount of distribution in theatres. They get one show a day or maybe two, whereas a blockbuster film will get seven eight shows a day. So clearly, the options are limited. Until the distribution system… the gatekeepers, who own the distribution system, start giving out more screenings for smaller films, we cannot make the money.”
Kalki will next be seen in A Death In The Gunj, helmed by her Ek Thi Daayan co-star Konkana Sen Sharma. The film also features Ranvir Shorey and Tanuja, tracing the journey of five individuals who are on a holiday.
