Koechlin subsequently featured in the commercially successful comedy-dramas
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani(2013), both of which earned her nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also worked as a co-screenwriter with then husband Anurag Kashyap for
That Girl in Yellow Boots and also starred in the movie receiving praise for her performance.
[5][6]
Kalki Koechlin is considered to be one of the few actresses in recent years to build her star power while proving her talent in indie and mainstream Indian cinema.
[9] The actress though has carved a cosy niche for herself in Bollywood remains accessible to fans.
[10] Kalki comes from a solid background of theatre, gradually taking steps towards the more
‘Bollywood’kind of films.
[11]
EARLY LIFE[EDIT]
Her father Joel Koechlin came to India from France, 60 years ago and met Kalki Koechlin's mother, Francoise Armandie, at the
Sri Aurobindo Ashram in
Auroville,
Puducherry. Her parents are devotees of
Sri Aurobindo. Eventually they settled in Kallatty, a village near
Ooty in Tamil Nadu, where he established a business designing hang-gliders and microlight aircraft. Her ancestor
Maurice Koechlin, a French structural engineer, played an important role in the design and construction of the
Eiffel Tower.
[12]
Koechlin initially attended
Kindergarten at
Hebron School, Ooty, then did a short stint in a Mysore-based school before completing her schooling back at Hebron, Ooty. Following in her brother's footsteps she attended university in London. Koechlin studied drama and theatre in
Goldsmiths, University of London, where she also worked with a theatre company called Theatre of Relativity for two years. She performed in various plays like
David Hare's
The Blue Room,
Marivaux's
The Dispute and a devised play
The Rise of the Wild Hunt in her two-year stint with the theatre group.
[13][14]
FILM CAREER[EDIT]
Debut and Filmfare win[edit]
Koechlin later decided to move to
Mumbai to try her luck in
Hindi cinema. She was doing modelling assignments for television commercials after being shortlisted for the role of
Chandramukhi (Chanda) in
Dev.D. She was one of the people to be auditioned for the role of the prostitute.
[15] Koechlin can speak Tamil, English and French; she had to learn
Hindi to prepare for her role in
Dev.D. About her role Koechlin said, "My character is much younger and there's much more to it than just being a prostitute. When she is not entertaining customers, she dresses up like any other girl in jeans and stuff and leads a normal life. My role in the film has a controversial streak to it, but I still don't know what would have been an ideal role to debut with. I've got the chance to work with a good director in Dev D and I feel I'm lucky enough." Koechlin was apprehensive about how people will judge her after seeing her in the role.
[16] She co-founded Quaff Theatre, a theatre group in 2008.
[12]
Upon release, her portrayal of the modern Chandramukhi, who goes from an innocent schoolgirl (Leni) to a vivacious prostitute (Chanda) was critically acclaimed saying "Kalki shows sparks in the scenes".
[17] Hindustan Times said, "Enter Chanda, the multilingual call girl who can seduce in Hindi, Tamil, English and French. With her bee-stung lips, unusual face and refreshing lack of acting guile, Kalki Koechlin imbues the part with a touching fragility."
[18] For her work in
Dev D, she was awarded the
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2010. Koechlin paired with the actor
Imran Khan for a
Coca Cola advertisement.
[19]The advert was voted the best of the
IPL by the TOI Advertisement awards.
2011-12[edit]
In 2011, she was seen in
Shaitan produced by
Anurag Kashyap. Director
Bejoy Nambiar, who assisted
Mani Ratnam in Guru, approached Kalki to play a role in the movie. But since the film was not moving for two years, Kashyap agreed to produce it on a smaller budget. Film critic
Komal Nahta commented, "Kalki Koechlin performs with admirable ease". She then starred in
Zoya Akhtar's
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara alongside
Abhay Deol,
Hrithik Roshan,
Farhan Akhtar and
Katrina Kaif; Zoya had wanted to work with Kalki ever since seeing her in Dev D and That Girl in Yellow Boots. She felt that Kalki would fit the bill for the character of Natasha, since she had "the sense of comedy, but not over the top."
[20] film critic
Taran Adarsh commented, "Kalki plays a Mumbai girl belonging to the upper crest and though it's not a typical 'heroine' role, Kalki infuses life into the character, fitting into the conceived character accurately".
Komal Nahta wrote, "Kalki Koechlin does very well in a difficult role she stands her own amongst the other actors". Box office India declared the film a
super hit with Kalki receiving a
Filmfare nomination for her portrayal of Natasha in the movie, the second nomination for Filmfare in career after winning her first in 2010 for
Dev.D.
| “ | The film's value is in its portrait of Ruth, and her independence as a solo outsider in a vast, uncaring city. Kalki Koechlin creates a memorable woman who is sad and old beyond her years. Ruth is a slim, morose beauty, with long hair, full lips and a slight overbite; she's described as "Bugs Bunny crossed withJulia Roberts." | ” |
|
|
Kalki returns from IIFA 2012
She co-wrote and also starred in
Anurag Kashyap's
That Girl in Yellow Boots film critics
Komal Nahtacommented, "Kalki Koechlin delivers a nuanced performance as the tumultuous Ruth. She uses her eyes and body language to the hilt to express varying emotions".
Taran Adarsh wrote, "THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS is embellished with top notch performances, with Kalki scoring brownie points for her super performance in the film. Playing a stylish, sensible, sharp-witted British girl supporting herself by working illegally in a massage parlor, Kalki has the right look for her part, but it does take a lot of guts to portray this intricate role. She has an inimitable talent and onscreen presence by means of which she single-handedly carries the film with her gut wrenching raw performance". Kalki has also helped her husband
Anurag Kashyap to write the 2011 film
That Girl in Yellow Boots. Same year, Kalki starred in
My Friend Pinto alongside
Prateik Babbar which was a box-office flop and panned by the critics too, later in 2012, combined with
Abhay Deol and
Emraan Hashmi in the political-thriller
Shanghai where she played the role of a politically active student council member. The movie did moderately well on box-office and was a major hit among movie critics with major praise coming to the performance of the cast including Koechlin.
2013-present[edit]
In September 2013, she was featured in a Video called
It's Your Fault for
Anti-Rape Campaign along with
VJ Juhi Pandey. The Video went viral on Internet with over 150,000 views in just 2 days.
[22]
ON STAGE[EDIT]
In an interview Kalki said, "I love to do plays. Theatre is important as it helps keep your body fit, makes you confident and it also improves your diction,”
Kalki's first love remain the stage. She has written, produced and acted in many stage plays in India. Most recently in Colour Blind which she co-wrote.
[23][24] She won the prestigious MetroPlus Playwright award in 2009 for the play "Skeleton Woman" which she co-wrote with Prashant Prakash.
[25] Other plays include
Trivial Disasters, "The Real Inspector Hound", "Hair"(where she incarnates Rapunzel) "Hamlet, the Clown Prince" (Directed by Rajat Kapoor) among some of her works. In her interview she said ,"Theatre is really an actor’s playground", and continued "There’s nothing like performing for a live audience. Ego-wise also, because you get this goose-bumps-and-applause thing. Also your subtleties as an actor are in play because you don’t have retakes. It doesn’t matter what day you’re having, good or bad, once you come to the rehearsal hall, you leave everything behind. When you’re on stage, you’re in the show. That’s the thing I love to come back to. I always get sharpened as an actor.".
PERSONAL LIFE[EDIT]
Kalki with husband
Anurag Kashyap. The two separated in 2013 after 2 years of marriage.
Koechlin was unemployed for a year and a half after Dev.D. Koechlin was cast in her husband's next films
That Girl in Yellow Boots, both produced and directed by Kashyap and
Shaitan which was produced by Kashyap but directed by Bejoy Nambiar.
[29] On 13 November 2013 both Koechlin and Kashyap issued a joint statement saying they were separating.
[30] In an interview Koechlin said"As soon as Anurag and I started dating we spoke about it. We didn't want to use the 'we're only friends' line," but later said that she now regrets being so transparent about her personal life. "It just takes centre stage instead of your work, which is what you should be in the limelight for," she added.
On the topic of 'What makes a woman beautiful?' Kalki says, " Confidence is what makes a woman beautiful. But, everyone has doubts, we're all human. Even as an actor, you have days when you haven't slept enough, you don't feel like you're good enough or pretty enough and there's that one spot right in the middle of your nose, when you're supposed to do a very important close-up scene. But ultimately, it's all about attitude. You must live with a little abandon and not be self-conscious. You ought to stop staring at yourself in the mirror, and just smile a little!"
[31]
IN THE MEDIA[EDIT]
Being French, and born and raised in Puducherry, Kalki has broken stereotypes all her life. “I always get questions like, Do you like India? You can eat spicy food? And in the streets they will be like ‘Hey beauty’. Only when you turn around and reply in Tamil, can you break that image,” she says. The perception, to some degree, continues to dog her even today. After separating from her husband, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, last year, it wasn’t easy for Koechlin to find an apartment. “When I moved into my flat, I could see my neighbours were suspicious. They probably thought — ‘White girl, just broke up with Anurag, Bollywood actress…’ But I knocked on their door and said hello. They later said, ‘Kitni simple ladki hai. So nice.’ So the stereotype breaks as soon as you do it,” she explains.
Koechlin unveils 'The Year of the Tiger' book.
Also talking about her 'white-girl' image, when relating her career, she said, "I have been a victim of stereotypes in my teenage years, in India. I was labelled as a 'white girl'; the idea of a white girl being someone with 'low-morals'. A lot of people assumed that since I was white, I was easy to flirt with. Also, when you're a Bollywood actress, people think that you 'party-all-night' and you won't do any work. You have to break that image."
The socially aware actor who has been a part of variety awareness campaigns emerged as the fresh new face of Bollywood who is vocal about women's equality and gender issues. She spoke at a conference on child sexual abuse (CSA) organised by actor Rahul Bose's NGO H.E.A.L.. She performed a monologue titled 'An Intense Piece about the Truths of Womanhood' on Women's Day at the India Today Conclave. The 16-minute act, which established a legacy of suppression dating back to ancient mythology and moving forward to a contemporary look at identity, selfworth and disempowerment, received rave reviews and set social media forums abuzz for its personal tone and powerful delivery, interjected with wry humour — "Five husbands..." she says of Draupadi's plight. "That can't be fun. God knows, in fact everybody knows, I have trouble with one" .Her monologue which talked about the daily wars women have to wage against patriarchy, had bits from her personal diary as well also made headlines. Though rooting for Everywoman, Koechlin prefers to call herself a humanist over a feminist, urging people to celebrate 'Equal Day' instead of a day for women.
[32]
She says that, "I've always been outspoken,especially on these issues. But no one really took notice. I guess it's a bit of timing as well. Women's issues are being discussed a lot more now, and in this context maybe my views just gained sudden prominence." Koechlin believes that questions around social awareness aren't asked of celebrities as much. Hence if any one makes a strong statement of any kind, it makes headlines. "For example, journalists never asked me about women's issues 3 years ago. They only had the usual dumb questions to ask! Very few people ask me about the process of making the film," she says and adds as an afterthought, "I feel there's also a lot more interviews and promotions these days. These promotional events have become such a whoring of the actor."
[33]
Kalki Koechlin is a sports enthusiasts and loves mountain trekking. The actress took up to trekking ever since she visited Manali as a child. In an interview she mentioned. "Besides Manali, I also enjoy trekking places like Leh and Ladakh. It gives you a different high all together,". Besides trekking Kalki enjoys going on long walks. "Born and brought up in Ooty, I used to walk to all the places in and around the vicinity. Even today whenever I get the time I go trekking or walking with family and friends, an activity I thoroughly enjoy," she says.
[34]
FILMOGRAPHY[EDIT]
Kalki Koechlin IIFA 2012.
REFERENCES[EDIT]
- ^ Jump up to:a b Parsara, Noyon Jyoti (5 April 2010), Kalki Shares Her B'Day with Duggu, Mail Today, retrieved 11 January2013
- Jump up^ "Don't believe Wikipedia, says birthday girl Kalki Koechlin". NDTV. 10 January 2013. Retrieved10 January 2013.
- Jump up^ "Kalki had to strive hard for success". Hindustan Times. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- Jump up^ Seema Sinha (1 September 2011). "I am a very happy person: Kalki". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 March2012.
- Jump up^ "Kalki had to strive hard for success". Hindustan Times. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- Jump up^ Seema Sinha (1 September 2011). "I am a very happy person: Kalki". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 March2012.
- Jump up^ http://tiff.net/festivals/thefestival/festivalawards
- Jump up^ Kalki Koechlin Bags The Best Actress Award At The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
- Jump up^ http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2014/10/24/kalki-koechlin-on-her-role-as-a-disabled-girl-in-margarita-with-a-straw/
- Jump up^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/brunch-stories/kalki-koechlin-i-had-dismissed-bollywood-because-of-all-the-jhatkas-and-matkas/article1-1283540.aspx#sthash.EHdQ7TOW.dpuf
- Jump up^ http://freepressjournal.in/breaking-stereotypes-just-like-that/
- ^ Jump up to:a b "CINEMA: Fair Factor". Tehelka Magazine, Vol 9, Issue 22. 2 June 2012.
- Jump up^ "Kalki Koechlin – Biography, Photo, Movies, Kalki Koechlin Wallpapers, Videos, Songs". Chakpak.com. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- Jump up^ "Actress Kalki Koechlin – Movie Dev D – Director Anurag Kashyap – French Connection". Oneindia.in. 9 February 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- Jump up^ "'Dev D' is not like Sudhir Mishra's 'Aur Devdas'". The Hindu. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- Jump up^ "Dev D not a dream debut: Kalki". NDTV. Retrieved24 June 2010.
- Jump up^ "Bollywood Reviews – Dev D Review – Anurag Kashyap". Oneindia.in. 6 February 2009. Retrieved24 June 2010.
- Jump up^ Baliga, Shashi (6 February 2009). "Clever, stylish, but low on soul". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 18 February2009.
- Jump up^ "Bollywood's classics come alive on TV again". Rediff.com. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- Jump up^ http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?section=Movies&Id=ENTEN20110179547&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=117658
- Jump up^ "That Girl in Yellow Boots". Chicago Sun-Times. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- Jump up^ "Video of Kalki Koechlin and VJ Juhi Pandey on Rape goes Viral". Retrieved 21 September 2013.
- Jump up^ "Theatre Review: Colour Blind". The Times of India. 7 Feb 2014.
- Jump up^ "Decoding the Bard". Verve Magazine. 26 Feb 2014.
- Jump up^ "Prakash, Koechlin win MetroPlus Playwright Award".The Hindu. 1 Feb 2009.
- Jump up^ "Anurag, Kalki To Tie The Knot on April 30". Movies.ndtv.com. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- Jump up^ "Kalki Koechlin getting married – Movies News – Bollywood – ibnlive". Ibnlive.in.com. Retrieved 28 July2011.
- Jump up^ Fainaru, Dan (10 September 2010). "That Girl in Yellow Boots |. She also acted in the film Shanghai; Review | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- Jump up^ http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/ENT-i-create-work-for-myself-kalki-koechlin-2433049.html
- Jump up^ PTI (15 November 2013). "Marriage in trouble! Anurag Kashyap, Kalki Koechlin take time off from each other".India Today. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- Jump up^ http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-i-was-stereotyped-as-a-white-girl-says-kalki-koechlin-2039997
- Jump up^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/stoi/deep-focus/The-diary-of-Kalki-Koechlin/articleshow/32115765.cms
- Jump up^ See more at:http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/brunch-stories/kalki-koechlin-i-had-dismissed-bollywood-because-of-all-the-jhatkas-and-matkas/article1-1283540.aspx#sthash.EHdQ7TOW.dpuf
- Jump up^http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Kalki-Koechlin-loves-trekking/articleshow/45333670.cms
- ^ Jump up to:a b Bhattacharya, Roshmila (16 July 2014). "Kalki Koechlin to play Ophelia". The Times of India. Retrieved17 July 2014.
- Jump up^ Baker, Steven. "Gulshan Devaiah: "I play Kalki's husband in Severing Ties"". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 February2014.
- Jump up^ "Winners of 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009". Bollywood Hungama. 27 February 2010. Retrieved28 January 2014.
- Jump up^ "Nominations for 57th Idea Filmfare Awards 2011". Bollywood Hungama. 11 January 2012. Retrieved28 January 2014.
- Jump up^ "59th Idea Filmfare Awards Nominations". 14 January 2014.
EXTERNAL LINKS[EDIT]
i/ˌkəlkiˈkeɪklɑː/) (born 10 January 1984[1]) is an Indian film actress of French descent who debuted in Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed Hindi film Dev.D (2009). She played the character ofChandramukhi in the film, a modern take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Bengali novella Devdas, and won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal.
Koechlin subsequently featured in the commercially successful comedy-dramas Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani(2013), both of which earned her nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also worked as a co-screenwriter with then husband Anurag Kashyap for That Girl in Yellow Boots and also starred in the movie receiving praise for her performance.[5][6]Kalki bagged The Best Actress Award At The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival for her role in Margarita, with a Straw. It was the only Indian film to be screened at the festival and garnered immense appreciation from audiences and the jury. The movie also won the prestigious NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award for "best Asian film from a first or second-time feature director" at the 39th Toronto International Film Festival,[7] with Kalki's performance receiving a standing ovation.[8] She is waiting for the release of Jiah aur Jiah, directed by Howard Rosemeyer. Koechlin is also going to share screen space with Naseeruddin Shah in an upcoming Anu Menon film titled Waiting.Kalki Koechlin is considered to be one of the few actresses in recent years to build her star power while proving her talent in indie and mainstream Indian cinema.[9] The actress though has carved a cosy niche for herself in Bollywood remains accessible to fans.[10] Kalki comes from a solid background of theatre, gradually taking steps towards the more ‘Bollywood’kind of films.[11]
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