Stating that a section of the audience is judging her for Badass Ravi Kumar, Kirti Kulhari says she starred in the spoof action comedy to challenge her own perception of being a serious actor
Kirti Kulhari
Why her?” That was the question many viewers had after watching Kirti Kulhari in Badass Ravi Kumar’s trailer. Interestingly, the actor too had a similar question—“Why me?”—when actor-musician Himesh Reshammiya offered her a role in the Keith Gomes-directed spoof action comedy. After all, Badass Ravi Kumar was wildly different from the powerful stories, like Shaitaan (2011), Pink (2016) and Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors (2020), that Kulhari has leaned towards in her 15-year career. “I was shocked. But Himesh told me, ‘I need an actor for this role.’ I was flattered that he thought of me for his film,” she smiles.
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Kulhari laughs that her hairdo, a short bob at the time, was another reason why Reshammiya thought she would be the perfect fit to play a glamorous assassin. She recalls, “He said, ‘I really like your hairstyle. I want that look for the part.’”
Himesh Reshammiya leads Badass Ravi Kumar
The actor knew that the audience would be surprised to see her in the action comedy that demands suspension of logic. She viewed it not as a deterrent, but as an opportunity to challenge the audience’s perception of her. More importantly, she wanted to challenge her own biases about the kind of actor she wants to be. “I am seen as a serious actor. But I realised that I didn’t want any strict notions about me, not just from the audience, but also myself. I wanted to shatter any judgment I harboured for spoof films. I also wanted to break the perception I had of myself as an actor. Until a few years ago, I wouldn’t have said yes to a film like this.”
In the days between the trailer’s release and the film hitting the marquee, Kulhari got it all, from compliments to criticism. “People are telling me that I’m looking hot. I’m surprised by it because I had a glam look in Four More Shots Please! There are also many comments where people have criticised me. In fact, this is the first time in my career that I have been trolled. People have written, ‘Aisi bhi kya majboori thi [that you had to do this film]?’ When you’re used to being praised for your work, this feels like a different experience. I asked myself if I was at ease receiving criticism, and the answer was yes. It felt freeing.”
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