I hope this National Award affects my future work: Kalki Koechlin

Kalki Koechlin has once again surprised everyone with her performance in the trailer of her upcoming movie ‘Waiting’ in which she is being cast with Naseeruddin Shah once again. The actress in an exclusive conversation with IndianExpress.com revealed that she has an emotional connect with Naseeruddin and the two do not share an intellectual relationship. She is more comfortable working with him now. The actress also talked about the kind of movies she wants to do, with something similar to Charlie’s Angels being on top of her list.

Ques: You will be appearing in ‘Waiting’ with Naseeruddin Shah and the trailer is already doing well. How was your shooting experience with the actor?

Kalki: It’s great. This time I think I was much more prepared for him because I know him better and am more comfortable with him. It was really fun working with him because we get along really well. We didn’t have a very intellectual relationship, like people think we will be talking about check off and theatre as we both come from theatre background, but it wasn’t the case at all. We were most of the time listening to songs together and just hang out and go for drinks and stuff. We had a very good emotional connect in the film. We managed to understand what the other person is feeling and if one of us was in a bad mood of tired so the other person would compensate. In silences we were able to communicate through emotions pretty well.

Ques: What are your expectations from the film?

Kalki: I’ve seen the movie and am very very happy. Anu has done a brilliant job. It’s a very balanced film and it’s got all the entertaining commercial sort of aspects in terms of comedy and its songs, but at the same time it’s a very deep film and it makes you think a lot. It makes you put yourself into those situations and think what would I do if I was in that situation. It’s quiet a philosophical film.

Ques: You have recited your poem ‘The Printing Press’ taken up issues like freedom of speech, thinking, privacy and more. So, have you ever thought of doing a woman oriented Film?

Kalki: Ya, if it’s a good script. It all depends upon the quality of the script and work. Women oriented means only if its real and if relatable. I would love to do a film about women. I would also like to do a commercial scenario like a “Charlies Angel’s, like a kick-ass women.

Ques: How did you react when you first came to know that you were getting a National Award?

Kalki: I remember shooting in Kolaba and I got really excited and I jumped around for half-an-hour on the street, then we went out to eat and celebrate. I was just really thrilled.

Ques: How difficult was it to play a teenager with cerebral palsy in the movie?

Kalki: It was a very tiring process, ofcourse there was six months of research and preparations. During the film itself it was physically exhausting because I stayed on the wheel chair 24/7. Psychologically it was frustrating to not to be able to go and get a glass of water if you want to and be dependent on people. It was a huge learning experience.

Ques: Have things changed for you ever since the National Awards were announced?

Kalki: I think it’s going to take some time, and ofcourse I have got a lot of appreciation and congratulations from people. I hope it will affect my future work.

Ques: You have always taken up challenging roles in the movies. How do you select a script?

Kalki: When I read the script in one go without stopping, that’s the first sign, if I don’t get bored in the middle of it. Secondly, if it makes me question a lot and make me think of the things which I didn’t think. When I finish the script and I’m like”Oh! I never even thought about this, but this is something I want to know more about”, and I would research immediately and start googling the subject matter.

Ques: If there was something you would want to change about your past, what would it be?

Kalki: I don’t know. I guess I would tell people I love them before they die. As a teenager, you don’t value the family much because you know that they will always be around, you never know they will die. So I think it’s really important to tell the people.

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