Svelte, beautiful and stunning are words that can be used to describe Sonali Kulkarni...believe it or not, she grew up thinking that she was not pretty enough or fair enough to be an actor. Today, something extraordinary happens when this seasoned actor slips into her stage character: Her diminutive structure magically blooms and she becomes larger-than-life. On screen, the camera lens caresses her beautiful bone structure and those dark melting eyes, to leave audiences mesmerized. It's not hard to see why her nuanced performances in Mission Kashmir and Dr Ambedkar, remain etched in our minds or why Italian director Lamberto Lambertini picked Kulkarni out of a dozen other worthies to star in his offbeat flick – Fuoco Su Di Me. And also why no-one can dismiss this sexy babe as a dumb belle.
Your success as an actor was hard won. What has your long struggle in theatre and showbiz taught you?
That the time to dream comes later. In the beginning, all my energies were devoted to learning my craft, polishing my skills, and doing as much work as possible, even if it meant setting aside financial considerations. I was also teaching handicapped children dance and music.
Struggle is good, because it keeps you grounded. My greatest concern today is to keep that struggler within me alive, to not get complacent or take success for granted. Every day I start afresh from Ground Zero, as if yesterday's achievements never happened. Past successes can only serve as a springboard for future ones.
Finally, no matter what changes have taken place in my career fortunes, there is and always will be, one constant, which is — the thrill of performing.
How do you make decisions on matters that could change the course of your career? Do you go by gut instinct or careful planning?
There should be at least one thing that excites me in a project — it could be the script; the banner; the director; or the money. I do take my own time to form a decision. And even when I'm going by what appears to be gut instinct, I'm actually weighing all the aspects, of why I am keen to take on or turn down a particular project. I believe being impulsive doesn't mean that one is reacting without thinking. Our actions are based on the baggages of our past. I trust my instincts and my thought processes, so I rarely have any regrets after the event.
Which of your movies has made an impression on you, changed the way you think?
There's Mukta, also Dr. Ambedkar. We all know the caste system exists but rarely experience its fallout close up. But Mukta made me realise that the caste system is entrenched in our society, especially among the people who are at the top most or bottom most part of the social rung. I understood how it works in relationships and why it's still being kept alive, chiefly by politicians, who use it for cynical purposes, such as to foment trouble during elections. It helped me understand that the ground realities are very far from the equal rights promised in our Constitution.
What about the discrimination that women face in the film industry? How do you fight that?
Why talk only of the film industry. Ultimately, It's how you command the respect of others. If a woman projects herself as inferior, then she has herself set the stage for discrimination. There was a point when I too faced such humiliation. It took me time to realize that I was the one who was undermining my self-esteem the most. Since that moment, no one has dared to treat me in any manner other than what I expect them to treat me with.
What are your diet secrets?
I've always been lean, but at some point I noticed that I was looking a bit bulky on screen. When you are on the sets, there are people constantly coming to you with samosas, farsan, laden lunch and dinner trays. And you eat away everything without sparing a thought to your waistline. When I started gaining weight I kept telling myself it was for the role. Excuses, excuses! It dawned on me eventually that it was up to me to say No, if I wanted to stay in shape.
I still eat a vada pav when I feel like it, but I definitely take care that it doesn't become a daily thing. When you are trying to fight certain habits you need to monitor yourself constantly. Since I cannot give up my tendency to binge when I'm bored (usually at home), I try to keep my snack options lean — jowar khakras, corn, low fat chiwda.., A rice-and-dal combo is the comfort food I turn to on some nights. To compensate for the heavy dinner, I stick with salads the following day. A dietician helps me make the right choices.
What workout sins have you committed?
The worst? Listening to too many trainers giving conflicting advice. Like someone said 'Take up weight training, lift heavy weights to tone up.' Someone else said go for light weights and do more reps. I tried every combination till it hurt so much that I lost interest in exercise. I sat down to work out what was going wrong. I understood that each individual has different needs, and that physical activity should be fun, not a punishment. I started exercising alone, using my own instincts and logic. I began noticing a difference immediately. I do the same exercises that various trainers have taught me, but without hurting my body,
without trying to over achieve or over strain.
Your everyday fitness regime.
I walk on the treadmill at 6.2 KPH for 40 to 50 minutes, do a lot of ab workouts, especially on the incline bench. There's also my daily yoga and pranayama. I may miss a workout occasionally but never the yoga and pranayama.
The one piece wisdom that you wish you'd come upon earlier in life...
...A beautiful face is not something that its owner can take credit for; it's a gift bestowed on you, not the fruit of your toil. I craved a fair complexion all through my teens. It took director Satyadev Dubey, my guru, to point out that skin colour cannot compensate for sheer hard work and talent, and that I should put my faith in those qualities if I wanted to attain lasting success. His words have been validated.
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