Kani Kusruti has established herself as probably the most compelling voices in modern Indian cinema, redefining what it means to be an actor within the trendy age. Identified for her daring selections and immersive performances, Kani persistently gravitates towards tales that problem societal norms and delve into deeply human narratives. This yr has been significantly momentous for her, with two standout performances cementing her place as a powerhouse of expertise.
In Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Think about as Gentle,’ Kani Kusruti delivers a mesmerizing portrayal of a migrant girl grappling with love, identification, and loss within the chaos of Mumbai. Mixing uncooked emotion with a contact of magical realism, her efficiency is a masterclass in subtlety and depth, incomes essential acclaim globally. In the meantime, her function in ‘Women Will Be Women,’ a boundary-pushing mission directed by Shuchi Talati, showcased her fearless dedication to layered, advanced characters, and acquired her a nomination at this yr’s Unbiased Spirit Awards.
From her Nationwide Award-winning efficiency in ‘Biriyaani‘ to her latest breakthroughs, Kani Kusruti continues to shatter stereotypes and increase the scope of Indian storytelling. As we dive deeper into her craft, we uncover the ethos behind her extraordinary yr and her strategy to artwork, storytelling, and self-expression.
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Right here’s the total interview with actor Kani Kusruti:
Aayush Sharma: Congratulations on the unbelievable wins for ‘All We Think about As Gentle’! The previous few days will need to have been a whirlwind of feelings, from press engagements to screenings, culminating on this well-deserved triumph. How does it really feel to see all of the arduous work and keenness behind this movie being celebrated on such a grand stage? Has the magnitude of this achievement actually sunk in but?
Kani Kusruti: I don’t take a lot satisfaction in this stuff, and I’m not that type of character. I’m joyful for Pile, for all of the individuals who labored on the movie, and for myself and everybody, truly. However it’s a part of—I imply, this movie had its personal journey. Women Will Be Women additionally had a unique, nice journey, which is good, and I’m joyful about it. I feel an actor’s life is extra about having the ability to work on attention-grabbing tasks, totally different sorts of tales, and numerous characters. These alternatives are what I discover extra attention-grabbing. For me, each these movies—the time of the shoot, the time of rehearsals, and all the things earlier than we put it on the market—already felt very rewarding. That entire course of was fulfilling in itself. So, this recognition is all like bonus factors and brownie factors that I’m getting after—or that each one of us are getting after. That’s how I see it.
Aayush Sharma: You started your journey in theater and are actually engaged on function movies and TV reveals. How has your performing course of developed out of your time in theater to your work in feature-length movies?
Kani Kusruti: I’m a theater scholar as properly, so I’ve studied alternative ways of approaching a efficiency or totally different sorts of craft. After all, I don’t get to apply all my craft at all times, however I attempt to. Generally I’m lazy, however typically I attempt to. I don’t have a technique of approaching a narrative. It relies upon, particularly in movies. I’m extra about desirous to know what the director desires, how they need to inform the story, and how much performing fashion they require for that specific movie. I attempt to gauge that after which strategy how I need to play the half and resolve what strategy or craft of mine can be helpful for that particular story. So, I don’t have one strategy anyway. After all, there have been modifications—greater than modifications. Prior to now 10 years, I’ve began studying performing, significantly with Venu Ji, who’s a Kathakali and Koodiyattam artist. His daughter, Kapila, is my finest buddy and probably the most phenomenal actresses I do know. They’ve programs referred to as Navarasa Sadhana, and I’ve taken totally different phases of them. Then there’s Adi Shakti in Pondicherry. Their workshops assist fine-tune or proceed studying new crafts to play or act. Prior to now 4 or 5 years, I haven’t had a lot time to be taught once more, however I attempt to apply what I’ve realized thus far. I additionally studied at Jacques Lecoq, a bodily theater performing college, which has a totally totally different strategy. What I imply is, sure, change has at all times been there. I enable myself to vary and to be shocked on my own—considering a technique now, and possibly altering it later. That’s been my strategy. So, yeah, I’m glad it’s at all times altering.
Aayush Sharma: So, we’ve heard that you just initially had been going to play Anu? What modified through the course of that then you definately acquired to play Prabha?
Kani Kusruti: So, no—Payal (Kapadia) got here to me with the script eight or 9 years in the past when she had simply the thought itself. She had watched me on this brief movie referred to as Recollections of a Machine, after which she reached out to a typical buddy to ask for my contact. He messaged, saying that Payal was finding out at FTII on the time. She hadn’t made something but, however she mentioned, “I’m considering of this story about two nurses. One character can be nearer to 38 or 39, and the opposite can be 26 or 27.” At the moment, I used to be 30 years previous. She mentioned she had watched this brief movie of mine and, if in a yr or two she made the movie, she would love me to play the youthful half. She added that I may play the older half too, however that was for a a lot older age. Payal felt that whereas creating the character, she was considering of me enjoying it after watching my brief movie, so she began writing it that manner. She used to ship me totally different drafts, however then she went on to make different tasks, like Night time of Figuring out Nothing and Afternoon Clouds. Her journey was totally different, and the movie was lastly made solely a yr in the past.
By that point, I had additionally turned 39. I knew that when she lastly mentioned, “Kani, I’m going to make this movie we’ve been speaking about,” I couldn’t play the youthful half anymore. I informed her that, and she or he requested, “Do you need to audition for the opposite half?” That’s how I auditioned for the older half. Anyway, even with the drafts I had learn, although she needed me to play the youthful function, I wasn’t already eager about how I’d play it. I at all times left room for Payal to return and slowly uncover it with me, relatively than having an concept prematurely about how I’d play it. I didn’t strategy it with mounted ideas. So, yeah—that’s the way it modified as a result of it took years to lastly make it, and one thing else occurred.

Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha in a nonetheless from ‘All We Think about As Gentle’ (Picture Credit score: Spirit Media)
Aayush Sharma: Prabha’s journey appears to transcend the everyday notion of city loneliness—it’s a deeper, extra profound solitude stemming from an absent but current associate, a actuality that resonates with many Indian men and women. You’ve talked about that she’s not essentially clinging to hope however relatively navigating an area of quiet hopelessness till she finds closure. How did you strategy capturing this nuanced emotional panorama, and what was your course of in portraying a personality who finds energy not in hope, however in acceptance and transferring ahead?
Kani Kusruti: I imply, I attempt to perceive Prabha by Payal solely, as a lot as I can as a result of, once more, for me, my character is, after all, about permitting myself to actually acknowledge the issue after which transfer in the direction of closure and are available out of it—that’s my lifestyle. I might not be like Prabha, taking this a few years of time to get there, however I perceive that everyone has totally different journeys. For me, it was virtually ridiculous for somebody to take this a lot time after I consider it. So in that manner, I don’t perceive Prabha so properly, however I feel there was no explicit strategy to it. I used to be simply attempting to grasp her. Regardless that she’s financially unbiased and all the things, what does independence truly imply for a girl in India? And the way do they arrive at it? Even when she lived in one other metropolis and had her personal way of life, to seek out closure, to maneuver on, and to pay money for her life, how a lot of the system, patriarchy, and all the things round her is so deeply rooted that even a financially unbiased girl shouldn’t be so unbiased?
For me, yeah, it’s unusual as a result of I grew up with lots of privilege when it comes to proudly owning my area and standing up for myself. It was all very straightforward for me to comprehend, due to how my dad and mom raised me. So, yeah, for me, it was like—I do know ladies like that. It wasn’t somebody that I didn’t know. I do know lots of ladies like that, in truth. So in that manner, it was straightforward to grasp that they take their time, and it’s a really gradual course of. Solely by herself opening up a bit extra, in her quiet time of accepting others, I feel Prabha began changing into extra accepting of different folks, like Anu or Parvati’s views on life. And her permitting herself to indicate her vulnerability to Anu—after no less than asking forgiveness from her after being impolite and all these issues—is how she slowly begins seeing these modifications. However it wasn’t obscure Prabha for me. I feel, for me, Women Will Be Women, Anila was extra of a tough character to grasp. Prabha’s form, I do know many ladies like her. Anila’s form, I didn’t know virtually anybody.
Aayush Sharma: In Women Will Be Women, your character Anila appears to embody twin features or conflicting roles. In the meantime, you additionally play Prabha, a personality with a definite character. How does your strategy as an actor differ when transitioning between these two very totally different roles?
Kani Kusruti: So, like I mentioned to start with, for me, the strategy modifications relying on which director I work with, relatively than what character I’m enjoying, as a result of I at all times discover administrators with a really sturdy voice. Very not often are administrators like, “You simply do as you need.” Most administrators I’ve labored with have a transparent concept of how the entire movie ought to look, what the performing fashion for all actors needs to be, and the way their characters needs to be portrayed. Notably with Payal, all the things was designed. All credit score goes to Payal solely. When it comes to even a tiny motion—from a watch motion to a sigh—all the things was clearly designed, and Payal needed it that manner, I might say. So that’s there. With Shushi, she was extra open to interpretations, okay? However she additionally had readability about what she needed. She was open to seeing how issues turned out. She type of clearly informed us what the state of affairs was like and who the characters had been, so we knew that. However how we’d react there—she was a little bit extra open to it. Nonetheless, Suji additionally directed scenes with very totally different interpretations. In Women Will Be Women, there have been additionally scenes the place some days, she would utterly reinterpret it in a different way and make us act utterly in a different way, okay? So, I used to be very curious to look at Women Will Be Women as a result of I didn’t know what made it to the modifying desk, or what made the ultimate minimize. I didn’t know which variation of my interpretation of Anila made it into the ultimate minimize. Even I needed to wait to see, okay?
So, it was very attention-grabbing to see that. Versus Payal, we rehearsed all the things, and we knew precisely what we had been going to shoot. Earlier than the shoot, we already knew how the scene was going to return out. There was no shock in any respect. In Shuchi’s movies, there have been many surprises. I’d be like, “Oh, that is the shot.” She would lastly… like, there have been so many issues. Regardless that she had readability and her script was clear, she was a director who needed to mess around like {that a} bit after which later resolve. I imply, it’s additionally potential that after I watched Women Will Be Women, lastly, Shuchi took most issues nearer to the script solely. However whereas capturing, she was making us go all over the place, which was actually enjoyable additionally, yeah. So, my strategy—coming again to the query—is that, such as you mentioned, all these approaches had been totally different relying on the director. Suji needed us to be utterly open-minded and utterly change our interpretations. Perhaps she shot each take as a unique variation. It wasn’t like a greater take of the earlier one—each take was a totally totally different variation. That’s how Suji needed it, additionally. So, in that manner, I discovered the method was totally different. Then, , find out how to strategy Anila was totally different. As a result of I couldn’t say, “No, Anila is not going to behave like that.” I couldn’t say, “No, what if Anila behaves like this, additionally?” It wasn’t like that. However with Payal, it was like, “No, that is how Prabha is.” We had been attempting to determine her body precisely as that, and solely that. Payal was attempting to maintain it inside that, and solely that. Inside that, we had been working, so it was extra.

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Aayush Sharma: There’s a second within the movie when Parvathy, a colleague, tells Prabha, “You’re higher off being alone,” and the look in your face in that instantaneous is haunting. It’s a silent, gut-wrenching response that speaks volumes with out a single phrase. Now, that is an impactful change, for an actor, do such scenes require an additional little bit of sensitivity or preparation?
Kani Kusruti: No, truly, for me, I didn’t must do something. Chhaya Ji, the best way… for me, Chhaya Ji, she would choose up this stuff from that bag in a manner that I don’t know. That second, each time we rehearsed it, even earlier than the shot, I don’t even keep in mind precisely which shot Payal lastly selected. I imply, I’ve after all watched it, however I’m not remembering that particular shot of mine, yeah. I’m remembering how Parvathy, performed by Chaya Ji, how she was taking that stuff and speaking, and she or he simply continued to do it. I’m solely remembering how she did it. That’s the solely factor making me do it. It’s nothing else. It’s how Chhaya Ji performs. I don’t know find out how to let you know. From the primary rehearsal of that scene, I very a lot keep in mind how Chhaya Ji—simply the best way she was doing—it touched me each time. I can not clarify it by phrases, like actually.
And it’s additionally certainly one of my favourite Parvati’s actions. Chhaya Ji is simply bringing that; that’s the reason it’s occurring. I imply, Payal will need to have shot each of us. I didn’t know within the edit whether or not they had been going to stay with my face or… it didn’t matter. So, it was an interplay between Parvati and Prabha, and it was like that.
Aayush Sharma: How did you collaborate along with your co-stars, particularly Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, to create the interpersonal dynamics seen within the movie?
Kani Kusruti: Divya and I’ve completed a cleaning soap opera collectively. We have now completed a play collectively. This was the primary time we may act on display collectively, so it was very nice. When it comes to, like, I do know what she likes, what she doesn’t like, or she is aware of me additionally, so that’s there. However for me, none of that issues. It simply needed to be a very good actor with a very good angle, that’s all. Like Chaya Ji, I didn’t know her—I do know her solely from the display. She was an unbelievable individual, unbelievable. An individual that’s simply so there, and it’s very straightforward to be together with her and really, very cooperative to work with. Every part with Divya, which I already knew, however Divya and I knew so properly that we knew it. However Chaya Ji—I didn’t really feel like I didn’t know Chhaya Ji. Chhaya ji additionally felt like we had recognized one another for 20 years earlier than. That’s the vitality she introduced. In truth, it’s not nearly co-actors. It’s the crew and everybody on the movie—all of the ADs and, like, there’s Ruth to Suryash, like many individuals who labored. Prabhadi, the assistant camera-woman, like many, many individuals who’ve labored on this movie and likewise in Women Will Be Women. It was a sure type of crew who all, like, , had been like household and on the similar time extraordinarily skilled, extraordinarily empathetic, and type.
It was a really “no shouting” type of shoot—very, very eagerly and truthfully attempting to make one thing very peacefully, which was very nice. So all people had that vitality. It isn’t simply actors having that vitality—that has no which means. Additionally, movie is a particularly collaborative course of with lots of people, and all of the folks on the set ought to have a sure type of mindset. If it gels, and if that resonates with everybody, it will likely be an excellent expertise to recollect retrospectively. That’s how I see each movies. Each had been totally different, too, nevertheless it was very nice.
Aayush Sharma: Should you may revisit Prabha’s story or discover it in a sequel, what features of her life would you most need to delve deeper into, and why?
Kani Kusruti: Nothing, besides she’s a nurse. I actually love nurses, like, I completely adore them. I respect them, and I feel they do an unbelievable job for this world to steadiness out this properly. I might have cherished to know the arduous work and expertise that goes behind it. I don’t even suppose—I don’t know if I’ve the thoughts and physique for it. The one factor that draws me probably the most is that she’s a nurse. That’s the very best a part of her. And that’s one thing that, personally, Kani would have favored to know. Like, I might have favored to know extra.
‘All We Think about As Gentle’ is enjoying in theatres, whereas ‘Women Will Be Women’ is obtainable for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.