Geetanjali Kulkarni On Choosing Gullak: 'Wanted To Play Mothers With Identity And Agency'

News18

26-04-2025

She revealed that she consciously chose the characters of mother in the movie who have distinct identities and meaningful contributions to the narrative.
Actress Geetanjali Kulkarni is celebrated for her role as a mother in the widely acclaimed web series Gullak. Her portrayal of Shanti Mishra has resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike, earning her widespread praise. Now, the actress sat for an interview with Filmfare Showcase where she candidly spoke about her decision to choose to play the role of a mother in Gullak. She also revealed that she consciously chose the characters of mothers in the movie who have distinct identities and meaningful contributions to the narrative.
In the interview, the actress shared that after her role in the film Court, she received numerous offers to play mothers in both Hindi and Marathi cinema, many with similar Maharashtrian backgrounds. 'But I said no. I said no, and I selected a small role in Mukti Bhavan a small role in Photograph or a small role in Sir, which I said I don't mind playing mothers. But that mother has to have some identity in the story," she said.
Kulkarni further explained, 'It's not about not playing, or I don't want to play the role of mother. I can pay Mother to Naseerji also, I don't have a problem with that. But that character has to have some identity and contribution to the story. That's my only issue. So I said no to a lot of them, and I selected roles. I chose Gulak because I knew that it was different. She is not just a mother, she has agency. In the first season, I felt that Shanti Mishra was the hero or the heroine of the whole series."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare)
Coming to Gullak, the series portrays the spirit of the middle class living in India. Since its first season, it has struck a chord with viewers due to its real-life portrayal of everyday hardships and joys. Besides Geetanjali Kulkarni, the Sony Liv show also stars Jameel Khan, Harsh Mayar as Aman Mishra, Saad Bilgrami, Deepak Kumar Mishra, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Gaurav Sarathe and Sunita Rajwar. Created and directed by Shreyansh Pandey, this Indian web series is produced under the banner of The Viral Fever Media Labs.
Speaking about Geetanjali Kulkarni's professional life, she was most recently seen in the psychological horror drama Khauf. The eight-episode series boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Monika Panwar, Rajat Kapoor, Chum Darang, Abhishek Chauhan, and Shilpa Shukla in pivotal roles. It was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on April 18 for audiences in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
First Published: