'I EMBRACE THE IDEA OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS'

Kalki Koechlin talks about her role in Nesippaya, perfecting her Tamil for the film, difference in acting for theatre and cinema, and more

- JAYABHUVANESHWARI B

When one thinks of Nesippaya, the striking image of a Tamil-Portuguese lawyer with distinctive hairstyles and eclectic costumes, riding a Harley Davidson bike, will surely come to mind. Kalki Koechlin, who speaks nearly flawless Tamil as Indrani in the Vishnu Varadhan directorial, says one reason she was drawn to the character was because she rides a bike.

"When he approached me about the lawyer role, the typical image of a lawyer—always in suits, very proper—came to mind. But he said, 'I don't want that. I want to disrupt the traditional idea of a lawyer.' He envisioned a strong, independent woman who has built her own path, and that independence was reflected in everything—from how she dresses to the fact that she rides a bike. For me, that angle was a real winner."

In this conversation, Kalki also speaks about the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani re-release along with Nesippaya, her definition of the word 'identity,' how she balances her interests and more.

Excerpts:

As a new mother, did balancing work and family life influence your decision to take on Nesippaya?
When Nesippaya first came to me, I had to decline because I was very selective about work and wanted to spend more time with my daughter. That's why the team had to explore other options and even spoke to Nayanthara. By the time they approached me again, a year had passed, and my daughter had started school, making it easier to balance work and family.