Mid-day Interviews Actor Geetanjali Kulkarni of Dice Media Series – Operation MBBS Season 2

Geetanjali Kulkarni

We at Mid-day had the opportunity to have a fun chat with Actor Geetanjali Kulkarni, known for her exemplary work playing Shanti, in the recent hit series Gullak. Seen playing a short yet pivotal role of the college dean in Dice Media's Operation MBBS Season 1, Geetanjali is back with season 2 and her role has much to offer this time.

Here's what she has to say about her journey through the industry.

1) At what age did you start your acting career?

Ans: I was 23 years old when I set out on my acting journey.

2) According to you what are the perks of being a web actress?

Ans: I think acting in itself comes along with its own perks and challenges be it films, tv or be it digital. Long format stories on the web allows characters a great scope to express themselves, experiment with newer concepts that enjoy a well-defined character graph. But at the same time, discoverability becomes a real challenge. Today, viewers have multiple platforms and a plethora of web content to pick and choose from. It is difficult for an actor to break through the clutter and be registered in the eyes of your audience.

3) What is the one thing about Operation MBBS which made you say yes to star in it?

Ans: I had a cameo in season 1 of Dice Media's Operation MBBS where I played the role of a college dean. When my director, Amrit approached me for Season 2, he told me how my character takes a robust shape and had a strong relevance to the story arc. I was confident about it and instantly gave my nod. I have worked with Amrit in the past too in Gullak and really like working with him as he brings in a lot of compassion and maturity on the sets which is truly commendable.

4) What's your take on the current OTT Platform generation and what do you think the future is for entertainment?

Ans: OTT has opened doors for more talent, and actors or filmmakers have more room to express their vision through their skills. And thanks to this platform, many new actors have gained recognition and for a few old artists, it has become a place to rejuvenate their careers. I have been a part of many films and series but I find the digital space to be very welcoming for actors and storytellers from different backgrounds who have the liberty to showcase their raw talents. With the new restrictions that could be levied to OTT, the creativity and liberty to highlight raw stories may dwindle. At the same time, it is true that digital is here to stay and will grow at an enormous pace in the coming years.

5) If given a chance to work with any director and actor from Bollywood, who would you choose and why?

Ans: To be honest, it totally depends on the story and the character I am playing as that's utmost important for me. But having said that, there are some storytellers with whom I would definitely like to work and they are Meghna Gulzar, Vishal Bharadwaj, Shriram Raghavan, Anurag Kashyap and Raju Hirani. Coming to actors, there are so many that it's difficult to even list them down and our industry is filled with innate talent. I look forward to sharing screen space with Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt, Ayushmann Khurana, Rajkumar Rao as I find them incredibly talented and even follow their work closely.

6) What would be the chances of seeing you and Atul Kulkarni acting together?

Ans: I often get this question from many journalists. I definitely like working with him and I am sure he feels the same. As actors, we don't really push from our end as there should be a substantial demand in the script for that, but if anything comes our way organically, we'd be happy to take it up.

7) Your aim is to lead a very simple and minimalistic life, any reason why you prefer it that way?

Ans: I think we have exhausted our resources as a race, so it is our duty to lead a minimalist life. Of course, it is difficult as we are dependent on technology for a lot of things but we have to adapt and think about the planet, ecology, and about people who do not have even the basic needs. Consciously, I try to limit my demands as much as possible as we are running out of resources and we need to help conserve them for our future generations.