Kirti Kulhari on life after separation from husband & Bollywood career taking a turn

While the web world has indeed opened an array of facets for one and all - if there is one thing that it has done the best - it is give actors centre stage, recognition and quality work as opposed to only what were termed to be 'stars.'

A fine actor like Kirti Kulhari is absolutely on a roll now starring in one big web show after the other. In a recent interview with ETimes, Kulhari opened up on what has changed for her being in Bollywood for over 10 years now and her separation from husband, Saahil Sehgal.

She first said, "I grew up with the idea of becoming a Bollywood heroine who sings and dances. Only after I stepped into the industry, started doing theatre and watching foreign cinema that my vision widened. So, while I wanted to do the typical Bollywood stuff, I was mesmerised seeing varied content and from thereon, an inner conflict started growing inside me. I wondered if I would get to do such powerful roles here in Bollywood. Every time I was sort of given a choice to make, I did end up choosing the kind of films I actually enjoy watching. Yes, I did start off with a Khichdi: The Movie (2010), but then I also did a Shaitaan (2011). Not every choice that I made worked commercially and that’s where I kind of lagged behind. If I chose the kind of cinema that I chose and it did commercially well, then I think it would have been easier for me to say, ‘Oh, wow I found my path. This is what I love doing and this is doing well, too’. That way it would have been a win-win for everyone. But it didn’t happen that way. Pink (2016) bridged that gap between commercial viability of a film and critical acclaim. It assured me in a way that maybe this is your path. It was at that point that I consciously took a stand and almost became unapologetic about it. I think I have left a mark with almost every film I have been a part of, and I think that is also the reason why when OTT showed up in the country, I was probably among the first names that came to filmmakers’ minds. I never believed that anything you do goes unnoticed. If you have done something well, it will shine no matter what. Along with OTT (Kirti was seen in shows like Four More Shots Please!, Bard of Blood, Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors), I am open to a lot more stuff in Bollywood. But I have come too far to kind of go back and say... Let me just sing and dance in your film."

This whole experience that I have had with Saahil has really made me a better human being.

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When asked about her new chapter of turning a producer, she said, "It came from the fact that people have been taking me seriously and it has strengthened my position in the market. So now, I want to be a part of the storytelling process in a bigger way. I wanted more control. Also, every time I consumed content, I felt certain scenes should have been done in a certain way. So, I thought why not have a first-hand experience instead. The first project that I am co-producing is Nayeka, in which I play an actress and that way I get to essay multiple parts."

Finally, opening up on how life has changed for her post her separation from husband Saahil Sehgal, she said, "My marriage pushed me in a way which has really made me evolve as a person. This whole experience that I have had with Saahil has really made me a better human being. It took a lot of contemplation to come to this decision. But once I took it, the kind of strength and empowerment I felt is something that I never felt before. It was the toughest decision to make because it had an impact on a lot of people around me. It is liberating for me to stand up for myself. Liberation is all about feeling free to make your own choices to move on in life like you want to. It has, in a way, given me a lot of confidence to take more and more important decisions in my life and just stand up for myself. In that sense, it has been very empowering and very liberating. It has made me a wiser person. Today the views I have on marriage, the advice I can give to men and women about marriage are so different from what I would have had four years ago. So, surely this is the better and the best version of me for the world to see."