Gullak actor Geetanjali Kulkarni: OTT has reintroduced me to the audience

Actor Geetanjali Kulkarni is a known name in Marathi cinema, and has even been part of a National Award winning film, Court (2014). But it is the OTT space, she says, that has given her a new identity.

“OTT has reintroduced me to the audience. I did independent films before OTT came along but the kind of content OTT showcases is very different and reaches all over the world. Apart from OTT platforms, there are many other unique content spaces. For instance, teleplays are now being screened and giving theatre a wider audience. Many people who may not have caught my play Piya Behrupiya on stage have in fact watched it on an OTT,” says the actor, who has web projects such as Taj Mahal, Selection Day, Cobalt Blue, Unpaused: Naya Safar and three seasons of Gullak under her belt.

Talking about the benefit of the digital platforms, Kulkarni shares that it is about the sheer freedom to watch what we want.

“People can watch anything anytime as it gives a certain amount of freedom to viewers to choose their content from a vast variety. The long-form format allows makers to also give all the characters an arc and a specific story. It is a great period for artists, writers, and directors as they are able to reach audiences all over the world with unusual, fresh stories,” she adds.

One project which has won her plaudits if Gullak. On the success of Gullak season 3, the actor only feels gratitude.

“I am enjoying it! Gullak is very dear to me as it was the first web series that I did. So the love it is getting is really overwhelming and fills me with joy,” she says.

As things have started getting back to normalcy with the pandemic no longer being as lethal as before, Kulkarni is now looking to work more, especially do live theatre.

“Except in the first and the second lockdown, I was lucky enough to constantly work while observing pandemic protocols. Even Gullak was shot like this. I love performing and so going to shoots during this time felt like a blessing but I was missing theatre and the energy of live performances. I am also grateful that teleplays were screened during this time to keep the interest in theatre alive. Things are coming back to normal and we can once again do live performances,” she ends.