This story is from October 26, 2007

Sonali is on a roll

Lakshmi Ajay / TNN / Oct 26, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Spirited actress Sonali Kulkarni believes the world is her audience. AT chats her up

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Sonali Kulkarni (TOI Photo)More picsA global star in the real sense, Sonali has done her share of Italian and French films
You can sense the excitement in Sonali Kulkarni’s voice even long distance. The darling of arthouse cinema is sweating it out mastering new moves for a reality show, when she’s not attending theatre workshops, wrapping up her new films or reading scripts.
A global star in the real sense, Sonali has done her share of Italian and French films, besides having done stints in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Gujarati films. For someone who’s even won prestigious awards including the Maharashtra government award for Muktha, hasn’t really been commercially viable in mainstream Bollywood, despite her odd forays in Mumbai potboilers. Sonali confesses during a candid chat,
Maybe if I did more PR for myself and got rid of my shyness I might grab more roles. But I have kept my options open and don’t intend to be branded or be part of any camps. I’m uncomfortable talking about myself.

What’s happening in her life now? Right now I’m just basking in the glory of my stint at a popular dance reality show and just enjoying the amazing support that has poured in from my fans across the country who are rooting for me to win, says Sonali.
Sonali started her 35mm trek in Girish Karnad’s Cheluvi, has played mom to Hrithik Roshan in Mission Kashmir, romanced Saif Ali Khan in Dil Chahta Hai and been the reel gritty haus frau in Taxi No 9211. The sultry actor also shares a Gujarat connection she’s played the female lead in the money-spinning Gujarati film Love is Blind.

Has she lost out on meaty roles because she has never played favourites? I am very transparent in my relationships and all my fellow artist friends have the freedom to cast me. I have done some very good films and challenging roles,elaborates the actor.
A trained classical dancer, Sonali claims to be deluged with fan mails ever since she put on her dancing shoes for the TV show. She says, I chose to do the show as I would get to dance and learn something different like salsa and tango which are very diverse from our classical dance forms. I had to unlearn most of my classical moves for this but it has been worth it, what with messages pouring in from fans from every nook and cranny of the country.
On her wishlist are films with Shekhar Kapur, Mani Ratnam and Rajeev Menon people she would like to work with, while Life in a Metro and Kareena Kapoor’s role in Omkara are to die for. Directing might be a future option, but for now, Sonali loves walking the red carpet with global stars (like Omar Sharif) and worked with amazing directors in my career, so am happy with what I’m doing. I do have inclinations towards directing as I’m always there as a handy assistant director to my directors and can even edit my scenes if need be.
With plays in the offing and young, upbeat films like Via Darjeeling, Sirf and Take Five ready to hit the screens, Sonali seems on a roll.

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