Sonalee Kulkarni will be making her digital debut with Bestseller. (Photo: Sonalee/Instagram) Amazon Prime Video is all set to launch its next original series Bestseller. With a power-packed cast comprising actors like Mithun Chakraborty, Gauahar Khan, Shruti Hassaan, and Arjan Bajwa, the thriller will also see Marathi actor Sonalee Kulkarni making her digital debut. In a chat with indianexpress.com, the actor said that the show has all the elements of thriller that will keep audiences on the edge. Adding that it’s an unpredictable tale, Sonali mentioned how it will keep audiences guessing about what’s happening next.
Given that the actor is playing a cop from the cybercrime team, she was specifically asked by her director to not do anything ‘stereotypical’, which is expected from the police on screen. “He told me to stay away from what we have seen. There were no ‘dabbang giri’ or heroic acts happening. She is a very different officer as compared to the uniformed cops we see. She is very straightforward and at the same time very earnest. More than words, she expresses through her eyes,” Sonalee shared. She added that her character Urmila would be seen working on a case with ACP Lokesh Pramanik (Chakraborty), and the show will further portray the interesting chemistry between them. “From discomfort at working with this eccentric man to developing an emotional bond, the journey is beautiful between them.”
As we asked her to talk about her bond with Mithun Chakraborty, Sonalee Kulkarni’s voice projected her excitement and love for the yesteryear actor. She said the director wanted them to crack chemistry before they shoot, so that they look convincing on screen. Stating that she was fortunate that things just fell in place for them and their bond was instant and natural.
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“I was nervous when I met him obviously but he instantly made me feel comfortable. He speaks Marathi and started drawing comparisons of how he has worked with so many Marathi actors from Madhuri Dixit to me. Also, we spoke about dance and he would often entertain the team by performing on his hit numbers. I think we connected from our very first shot. Even though he is very senior, I would say that we became friends and it was delightful to work with him. Now that I look back, I think the chemistry that we managed to build was way more than what the director or any of us had expected,” she added.
Bestseller will not only mark Sonalee Kulkarni’s digital debut but it’s also her first big Hindi project. The actor believes that lines are blurring between the regions with so many ‘South films becoming blockbusters in the country’. She added that at the same time, Marathi cinema and its actors are doing so much today, and are not restricted to playing just ‘sidekicks and comic roles’.
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“Things have definitely changed and I also feel that the star-oriented cinema has now evolved into becoming more content-driven. Over the last few years, especially in the pandemic, we saw so many new actors being discovered. And I think the audience too are enjoying this change as it’s all about content now and not the surname you have. These two changes have been very welcoming. I believe we will soon calling it Indian cinema rather than dividing it into regions,” the actor said.
Talking about making her Hindi debut with an ensemble project, Sonalee said she believes an actor can prove their mettle with “just a scene”. She added, “It’s never about the length but the meat of the character and the substance. It’s more about your character’s contribution to the storyline. Urmila just does that for me and the show. Also, with web shows, one gets a lot of time to develop characters and portray their journey. What I really loved about this show is how all actors come from different regions — Mithun da from Bengal, Shruti from the south, and me from the Marathi industry. The diversity is beautiful and adds so much more to the overall package of the show.”
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The actor is happily married to Kunal Benodekar and often shares pictures with him on social media. For the actor, fans are today also interested in your personal life. “From where I come from, our audience does want to know more about your personal life. Also, they do judge you sometimes but I put up pictures because I want to. I like sharing a snippet of my personal life but will never do it for the sake of it.”
And what about the pressure to project a ‘happy couple’ picture all the time? “I don’t take that pressure at all. I am not trying to portray anything. We don’t go about sharing lovey-dovey comments on each other’s posts. My husband doesn’t even like my posts, given he is not from the industry. I am happy till the time he is okay with me sharing his pictures publicly,” Sonalee replied.
A conversation with Sonalee Kulkarni can never end without discussing “Apsara Aali,” the song that made her a favourite worldwide. She says the song turned her life ‘upside down’, but also created a separate identity. “Till that song, people would often confuse me with the actor with the same name. Post the song, people took notice of me and realised who I am, and what I could do. Honestly, while growing up, I always dreamt of having a song of myself, and when I got to do that, it was a different high,” she concluded.
Starting February 18, Bestseller will stream on Amazon Prime Video.
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