In an interview post the success of her last project Bambai Meri Jaan, actor Kritika Kamra mentioned how she does not “usually get calls for such roles and auditions”. While one may wonder why an actor with her caliber and experience may struggle to get calls, Kamra explains to us that what she meant was her getting a call to break out of her image and play something unconventional.
She goes on to explains how she has been enjoying this phase of her career, with the industry “recognising her potential’ as an actor. “I didn’t mean that I don’t get calls for meaty roles or great projects. I do. In fact, I get calls for almost everything that is open to casting because I’ve been auditioning for many years now and all the casting directors know me and appreciate my work or past auditions,” she shares.
However, with regards to Bambai Meri Jaan, what she meant was that her character Habiba was “very different” from who she is and the character she has been playing over the years. “Anybody who knows me or has seen my previous work would find it hard to visualise me as her. I wasn’t the most obvious choice for the role. But I was happily surprised to get that call and a fair shot at it. And it worked,” she tells us.
The opportunity she got wasn’t wasted as Kamra left a lasting impression on the audience’s mind with the role of a gangster in the project. She says, getting a chance like that goes on to “say that more creators and casting directors should think outside of the box and consider casting against type.”
“The industry is quick to judge you and typecast you. I consciously make choices that help me explore and showcase my range as an actor. I wish to be versatile and play different parts in different genres. And I’ve done that over the years. The offers I have now are testimony to the fact that it hasn’t gone unnoticed. I now get calls directly from filmmakers because they’ve seen my work,” she ends.
