Actress Kajal Kunder Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kajal Kunder is a Mangalorean, born and brought up in Navi Mumbai. She moved to Bengaluru six months ago to pursue her career in Kannada films. Actors are waiting for the release of the film billy chukki halli hakkiWhere she plays the character named Kavita.
Kajal says the film, written and directed by Mahesh Gowda, talks about vitiligo without being preachy. “The aim of the film is not to create awareness about skin conditions. Instead, it deals with the emotional state and challenges of a person suffering from vitiligo and how it affects those associated with them. The film’s director, Mahesh, who plays the lead role, has this skin condition.”
Kajal started her career with small roles on television. Everywhere Shiva. He made his debut in Kannada cinema Maya Kannadi, KTM With Dixit Shetty and pepe With Vinay Rajkumar.
In billy chukki halli hakki, Kajal says, she plays a simple, but mature character. “Poetry is introverted, it is neither vocal nor expressive. I was attracted towards the character and also believe that the concept of the film is unique.
Kajal is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. “I enjoy all forms of dance – from Bollywood to folk and everything in between. I dreamed of acting since childhood and started giving auditions as soon as I started college. This is how my acting journey began, with one small role at a time.”
Having lived in Mumbai all her life, Kajal’s first challenge as an actor in Kannada cinema was to master Kannada. “I was new to Bengaluru and it was overwhelming to navigate. Travel is never easy, especially for women. Looking back, I feel that struggle was necessary for my personal growth. These are the experiences that I draw on to create my on-screen characters.”
Kajal believes that the way to prove her worth as an artist is to give her best in every role. “I am fortunate that all the characters I have played have been of strong women. The credit for this goes to the writers and directors.”
Kajal says that her work in theater in Mumbai also helped. “During my school and college days, my stage performances boosted my confidence and inspired me to take acting seriously.”
For Kajal, cinema is a medium to portray strong characters. “I want to explore every kind of role that tells a story in itself. There is an audience for every kind of film.”
Description of his role in pepe On being challenging, Kajal says, “In real life I am the complete opposite of my loud, onscreen character. my role in billy chukki…, Playing a character who encompasses all his emotions was a challenge.
Kajal has adopted a natural look in most of her films. “My only concern is to look like the character I am playing. In Billy Chuckie… I am playing the character of a rural girl. If I show my face unnecessarily I won’t be able to do justice to the role or the story. I follow the demands of the story and don’t worry about make-up.
Kajal says that most of her roles have been de-glamorized. “I have no problem with it. A film must connect with audiences and be rooted in the culture while finding new ways to interpret or present the story.
Kajal says, somewhere we are forgetting our roots and trying to create larger than life characters. “Technology and a bigger canvas works for films like Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva. If the same thing is forced into any other story, it destroys the cinematic experience.”
published – January 13, 2025 01:35 PM IST
