Actor Kirti Kulhari, who has carved a place for herself in path-breaking projects, plays Anu Chandra in Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors. In the second season of the show, which streams on Disney+ Hotstar from December 24, Anu Chandra confesses to killing her husband.
Kirti, who has been a part of films like Pink, Mission Mangal, Uri: The Surgical Strike and Blackmail, found playing Anu Chandra to be a challenge. “She comes with a lot of baggage and has a personal history that drove her to do what she did,” says Kirti, admitting that she spent a lot of time understanding the character. “A lot is going on in her life and I had to show that painful journey. Her pain has to reflect on my face,” she adds.
As part of her role preparation, the actor spent time with a psychiatrist couple to understand the trauma that victims like Anu Chandra go through. “Specialists can best explain the dynamics of a relationship that Anu was in. To be able to emote in front of the camera, I would personally have to be convinced of [the character]. I am not the kind of actor who would come unprepared. Playing complex characters is fun and challenging; it actually scares me sometimes,” she says.
She calls herself an “inquisitive actor”. “I like to ask questions and seek explanations. That is how I am. I like assimilating and analysing to be convinced of what I am told.”
Other passions
While Kirti loves her work, she ensures travelling does not take a backseat. Though she made the best use of her time at home during lockdown, she escaped to the mountains the moment travelling was made possible. “I love my time in the hills and love to travel whenever I can. I started travelling in August with all the safety precautions,” she adds.
Kirti, who also has a starring role in Four More Shots Please!, also engages frequently with over a million of her followers on Instagram. “I think our followers definitely want to see us minus the makeup and are keen to know what do we do offscreen. My hair care routine which I shared during the lockdown got a lot of traction,” she says.