Karisma Kapoor in a still from ‘Brown’
Known for playing colorful characters, Karishma Kapoor Returns to starring role as a determined but gunned-down cop to catch a psychopath in the upcoming series brown, Her character of Rita Brown seeks to remain relevant in her career and life, battling alcohol addiction, loss, depression, and the demons she has created.
Karisma recently grabbed eyeballs at Berlinale where the series directed by Abhinay Deo was screened in the market section. “The character is so raw and human,” says Karisma, as she discusses her return to the screen after a long gap. “I was looking for something that would be creatively satisfying. Apart from a crime drama where Brown is investigating the brutal murder of a girl, we are talking about a subject that is not usually shown on screen. .
Karishma narrates the ZEE5 thriller, based on the moody, morbid novel by Abhik Baruah, city of deathas in, “An inspirational journey of a woman who is tired and killed. She has been through a lot but yet she transforms when the situation demands it. The moral of the story impressed me as it Matched with personal experiences. Life has ups and downs but you can deal with it and come out of it.”
Karisma Kapoor returns in a raw, realistic avatar in Abhinay Deo’s crime thriller
Acting, she says, is all about observation, and she has learned a lot from her life and the people around her. “As always, I bounced ideas off Karina and she came up with suggestions.”
More importantly, the series set in Kolkata has an Anglo-Indian backdrop, with Soni Razdan playing Karishma’s mother. Not many people know that Karishma’s maternal grandmother was an Englishwoman who married a Sindhi. Soni was also born in London to a British-German mother.
Karishma describes it as interesting casting and says that Brown’s relationship with her mother reminded her of the bond she had with her mother, Babita, who was a popular actress in the 1960s and early 70s. “My mom’s first question was, ‘Oh! You’re playing a character who’s addicted to smoking?’ But she’s an actress and understands the demands of the role. Like Soneji in the series, my mom still worries about whether I’ve eaten well after a long day at work. No matter how much trauma Brown has gone through, His mother is always with him.It is a lovely relationship.
after a long break dangerous love, Karishma says it was her choice. “I have always followed my heart more than my head. I started working at a young age and wanted to take a back seat, relax and give time to my kids. I didn’t want to leave my family and go to film sets for 100 days. I was happy to do it.
Karisma’s character, Rita Brown, battles alcoholism, loss and depression in the series based on Abhik Baruah’s novel
She believes, meanwhile, that things have changed in the industry. “For the better, I must say. It’s a great time for actors because you can do commercial things as well as play a subtle character in a streaming series. For the first few days, it was a challenge. Very There were whole workshops. The kind of detail that goes into creating a character these days was not there earlier.
Having said that, Karisma was quick to hint that they shot together for Shyam Benegal. zubaida and David Dhawan wife number 1, At that time there were only a few directors who conducted workshops and allowed actors to prepare for the character. On the sets of a David Dhawan film, you just had to go out there and deliver. It was also tough to maintain that energy level and comic timing.”
‘Reincarnation of the Actor’
like charisma, brown Director Abhinay Deo, known for lighthearted stuff like Delhi Belly, changing styles. “We dug deep into the psyche of the characters in the novel to show how damaged people can be, and that damaged people don’t need to be on the wrong side of society.”
He says that Karisma is the right actor to give an outer look to an inner journey, “She has not done such a de-glamorised role before. She, along with Soniji and Helen Madam, looks part of the Anglo-Indian setting, and like any good actor, was keen to draw from her personal space to shape the character.
After spending years in mainstream Bollywood, which is often fueled by cut-to-cut sentiments, Abhinaya says the actor wanted to acclimatise himself to the demands of the slow-burn. “It is a kind of reincarnation; She was as excited about the challenge as we were.
She still cherishes the memory of working with Govinda, with whom she acted in 11 films. “It was a wonderful time because we had such great camaraderie. We don’t talk every day but exchange good memories whenever we meet.
Reflecting on the extreme darkness that creeps into the content, Karishma puts it all down to the audience’s taste. “I love how people are reacting these days. I will do what touches my heart; it can be of any genre,” she says.