âœI Was Really Young – Kritika Kamra On Dealing With Casting Couch
Kritika Kamra, who has been gaining attention for her performance in the show Matka King, recently opened up about the hurdles she faced during her transition from television to the film industry. In a conversation with News18, she shared insights into the darker aspects of the business, including a brush with the casting couch and the persistent bias against TV actors.
Talking about her early days in the industry, Kritika addressed the uncomfortable reality of the casting couch. She admitted that while she was aware of the rumours, her own escape from such a situation was largely due to fortune.
She said, “I had heard about things like the casting couch. My parents had read about it in the papers. I also had a brush with it but got off unscathed. It was just luck and chance. It wasn’t because I was too smart. I really wasn’t because when I had started out, I was really young.”
Despite her success in the streaming space, Kritika mentioned that the stigma around television actors remains a challenge in Bollywood. She described the industry’s social structure as being akin to feudalism, where actors are often judged based on the medium they started in.
She explained, “I’ve experienced this hierarchy. I was happily doing TV, and, in my head, there was no difference between TV and films.” Coming from a small town, her perspective was simple: “Anybody who was onscreen was an actor for me. I wasn’t aware of this unsaid hierarchy, which is like feudalism in a way. I also wasn’t aware of how one is perceived because of their onscreen presence and characters.”
Kritika who calls herself a feminist revealed how she has been selective about her roles, often turning down big-budget films if the characters lacked depth or agency. She shared that she has always tried to steer clear of regressive themes, even during her time on television.
She said, “I’m a feminist. I say it proudly. I care about how female characters are portrayed onscreen. Even on TV, I stayed away from kitchen dramas or shows where certain regressive themes were glorified. I tried to do the more progressive stuff.”
This commitment to meaningful roles continued as she moved into films. Speaking about her debut and the offers that followed, she shared, “Even in my first film, Mitron, I wasn’t a damsel in distress. I was a heroine with agency. But after that, I typically got offered a couple of films where I had two scenes and a song. I said no to those. I don’t want to do just about anything to be a part of a big film.”
Currently, Kritika can be seen in Matka King, directed by Nagraj Manjule, alongside Vijay Varma and Sai Tamhankar. On a personal note, she also recently celebrated a new chapter in her life, having married sports commentator Gaurav Kapur in an intimate ceremony.
Also Read: Neha Dhupia Shares Heartwarming Clicks From Gaurav Kapur and Kritika Kamra’s Wedding
