Mrinal Kulkarni: Relationships Have Been the Centre of My Writing and Filmmaking | Exclusive

Actor-director Mrinal Kulkarni made her digital directorial debut with Sahela Re, starring herself, Subodh Bhave, and Sumeet Raghavan. The Rama Madhav director is overwhelmed with the reactions she has received from audiences across the globe.

Like her previous directorial projects, Sahela Re too revolves around a very strong relationship perspective. And Mrinal admits that her primary focus as a director is human relationships. “As an actor, I have always been driven to characters that deal with human relationships. As a writer/director also I am definitely intrigued by relationships and grey people. I still can’t write black or white. As a director I should learn to do that as well. But as of now, I like to tell people a story that shows many shades of relationships. It is the centre of my writing and filmmaking. ”

The film is streaming on Planet Marathi and Mrinal is excited to be a part of the OTT medium. “Personally, I am a fan of everything digital. And when it comes to OTT platforms, I have been enjoying the sheer privilege of watching and choosing from so many options. I have been an enthusiast of national and international films and the digital space gives you the option to watch so many brilliant films/series from across the globe. I am definitely drawn towards it. And it is way better than regressive daily soaps. The subjects on the digital medium suit me better as a viewer and actor too.”

The film also marks Mrinal’s first time directing actors Subodh Bhave and Sumeet Raghavan. On her experiences of working with them, she adds, “I have worked with both of them before. I wrote this story keeping both in mind and I am so glad they got on board. They are such good actors and thorough professionals. When I narrated the script to them they were excited and both exclaimed how their wives would love to watch something like this. They know the minute intricacies of portraying a complex character and hence they were always my first choice.”

Mrinal is now going to give herself a month’s break before diving into her next project. She is eager to see what’s in store for her. “I am glad that after having a successful run as an actor, I could move on to writing/directing and enjoy it too. I want to be able to do different things with each project. I want to live up to the confidence my audience shows in me. I want to be able to give them something worthy of their trust in me.”