There is yet another intriguing emotionally dense series which is creating a stir in the world of OTT. Karisma Kapoor, Jisshu Sengupta and Surya Sharma starrer Brown releases on ZEE5 today. Directed by Abhinay Deo, the series is being deemed as Karisma Kapoor’s boldest and most transformative performances yet. The actress strips away every layer of perfection to fully inhabit Rita Brown. There is a striking realism in her performance that feels intense, honest and deeply human. Audiences have particularly connected with the emotional depth she brings to the role, with many praising her willingness to constantly reinvent herself and surprise viewers even after decades in the industry.
We caught up with Karisma, Jisshu, Surya and the director of the show for an exclusive chat and here are a few highlights from the interview…
Abhinay Deo on the vision behind the show
Talking about the core vision behind the show, director Abhinay Deo said, “It’s a psychologically dense show. The aim was to always make the audience feel uncomfortable in a good way. The idea was that it is a crime story but at the same time it has got such varied characters who have a lot of baggage. So the prime idea was that it shouldn’t just be a cop chasing a murderer story. It had to be much more layered than that.”
Karisma Kapoor on the OTT v/s Big Screen debate
The actress spoke candidly about her views on the OTT versus big screen debate and said, “What is important is someone giving you the opportunity to showcase your craft and then your performance reflecting your honesty towards what you’re doing. I think that’s more important than the debate around OTT versus big screen. An actor is an actor, whether on OTT, on the big screen or on stage.”
Jisshu Sengupta says he’s a director’s actor
While talking about playing morally grey characters, Jisshu said, “I believe I am a director’s actor. I lay my cards in front of them. I mostly go to them on the day of the shoot and say that this is what it is and you tell me what to do. The character for me is set in the first scene itself. I don’t delve too deep into what his morality is. Whether he is right or wrong. I just play it as is.”
He further spoke about his bond with Abhinay Deo and said, “Abhinay was always supportive on set. Some directors want exactly what they say, but with Abhinay, he gave me the space to perform. As an actor, that is the biggest gift a director can give. Actors would die for something like this.”
Karisma Kapoor on playing Rita Brown in the series
When asked about the prep that went behind playing her part in the show, Karisma said, “It was extremely fulfilling and exciting to bring Rita Brown to life. There was so much prep that went into it, so many discussions with the director about the character’s back story too. I prepped for it much more than any film. We had a bound script and everyone knew exactly what needed to be done.”
Surya Sharma and Karisma Kapoor on shooting in Kolkata
Talking about the experience of shooting in Kolkata, Karisma said, “We had discussed things earlier, but when we were on set in Kolkata, it was something else. We were shooting in May-June, so it was really hot. We were sweating badly, but that also added a layer to our characters (laughs)”. Surya Sharma added, “And in that heat, we were also supposed to have something really hot in a scene. I remember how tough that was. But the environment helps a lot. It really puts you in the right frame of mind to play your character.”
Karisma Kapoor and Jisshu Sengupta on the toughest genre to ace
Talking about the toughest genre to ace, Karisma said, “I think doing comedy is most difficult. Making an audience laugh, genuinely laugh, is most difficult. I have played a wide range of roles, but I’d still say that doing comedy and making the audience really enjoy is most difficult. Because it is all about timing, if you lose that even for a second, it’ll fall flat.” While Jisshu added, “As far as actors are concerned, Karisma ma’am said it correctly, it is way more difficult to make an audience laugh rather than cry.”
Brown is now streaming on Zee5. Go watch!
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