Geetanjali Kulkarni: Tricky, but fun

Twelfth Night actor Geetanjali Kulkarni discusses a role that has her switching genders

Following her acts in films like  Court (2014), Sir (2018), Photograph (2019) and the recently released series, Gullak, Geetanjali Kulkarni is set to step into the world of Bard. Slipping into the role of Viola in Zee Theatre’s musical adaptation of the Shakespearean comedy, Twelfth Night, the actor will headline the adaptation, Piya Behrupiya, helmed by Atul Kumar. 

“This adaptation highlights the time when Viola is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, and separated from her twin brother. She dresses up like a man, acquires a different name,  and works for the Duke. A complicated love triangle develops between her, the Duke and Olivia. The entire play is about mistaken identities and I am the pivot from where all the fun begins,” she says. As though showcasing two genders wasn’t challenging enough, Kulkarni was tasked with the job of portraying the confusion of a girl who has to behave like a boy. “It was tricky, but fun.”

That the show will be available in a teleplay format is an exciting development for the actor. “We used the nautanki genre to interpret the play. The audience will enjoy it because it has music, and laughter. Some people have watched the play 10 times over.  There is so little positivity around us at the moment that just to be able to feel happiness is a blessing.”

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