Kavita Kaushik, aka Chandramukhi Chautala of FIR fame, has just made her stage debut with comedy play Pajama Party, which also stars fellow TV actor, Kamya Punjabi. Shakti Singh, Deepali Garg and Sunil Palwal complete the main casting.
“I loved director/writer Atul Satya Koushik’s concept, for it dealt with the burning issue of crime against women, albeit in a lighter vein. Coming to my character, she is very real. The setting is an overnight party where we all girls are having fun and the above crime happens. Do watch the play to find out what happens next and how we deal with it.”
“Our early shows have already become a hit, and we have got rave reviews as well.”
Talking about moving to stage, this versatile actor, who has rocked both TV (Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Remix) and cinema (mostly Punjabi films), says, “While it is fun to express yourself in all mediums, theatre is a place that refines you as an actor. But after 17 years in the trade, I am not really scared about acting on different platforms. No medium is easy or tough, you just need to do it right.”
“Having said that, Pajama Party was indeed a challenge, for I had the maximum numbers of changes, a tandav dance, and on top of that, I was there in every scene. Changing in the dark is not easy, and I even hurt myself in the process on the opening night.”
“For me, at this stage of my career, the most important thing is to keep my audiences happy. So yes, there is performance pressure to match up to my brand value, which I have built over the years.”
Looking ahead, Kavita would not mind returning to TV, or try web if she gets some action characters or even a sarcastic comic role again with action. “I can’t be the good bahu or naagin, as I will very quickly bore of it.” Her last TV show was the ill-fated Dr. Bhanumati on Duty, which shut shop very quickly.
“I am looking for juicy roles, period, as I have already made money for settling down in life, buying a house and a car, etc.”
In closing, when we ask her about Kamya, she says, “I don’t refer to friends or contemporaries in my interviews. Kindly speak to her about what she feels.”
