The mother-in-law hated her daughter-in-law’s guts — after all, the progressive, bold, and quick-witted young woman was the antithesis of the older woman, who had a penchant for holding onto norms and traditions. Caught between them was a lad who didn’t know whether to assuage his mother or wife; what unfolded was an engaging, humorous family drama that kept us hooked with laughter. This was Kutumb Kirrtan, a Marathi play at Ravindra Bharathi. After skilfully playing the gutsy DIL on stage, Tanvi Mundle, popular Marathi film, TV and theatre actress, sits down with CE for a candid chat.
“Kutumb Kirrtan depicted every middle-class ghar ki kahani. I genuinely enjoyed playing Shivani, the daughter-in-law. I particularly love how she was confident and bold, but never meant to hurt anybody. In fact, whenever we take this play to any city, many young women come to me after the show and say, ‘Ab aise hi rehna chahiye mujhe!’” Tanvi recalls with a childish glee.
The actress’ expressions do not fail to amaze even when she isn’t in character; it almost seems like she was born to reign over the stage. This was something her family recognised early on, encouraging her aspirations to pursue acting after she won several awards in college for the same. “My family had no background in the film industry, but my father stood by me like a rock,” says Tanvi, her eyes gleaming with a pride that quickly morphs into softness. “But he passed away before he could ever see how far I’ve come. But I know that everywhere I go, he is watching over me…” she notes with a smile.
But bubbly as Tanvi is, she pulls herself together, just like her father taught her, and states, “When I keep my feet on the stage, I forget everything!” As someone who acts on the stage, small screen, and big screen, Tanvi defines theatre in a unique way: “Unlike in front of the camera, on stage, you have to really throw your voice and use your whole body to convey the story to the audience. The beauty is how you can see the audience’s reaction right then and there. Ah, mein kya bataaun, theatre ek nashaa hai.”
Though at a comfortable juncture in her career, Tanvi isn’t your haughty heroine on set. “When in front of the camera, I follow the director’s instructions because he or she knows how the film should pan out. I am a director’s actor,” she reveals.
So, what should one do to become a good actor? Tanvi advises: “It isn’t enough to just mug up your lines. When I am playing a certain character, I try to understand her thinking process and imagine myself in her shoes. Only then will I be able to convey the intended information to my audience.”
In her industry, Tanvi is usually cast as the female lead, someone who embodies goodness. Would she ever dare to step away from the good and venture into darker shoes? She says, “Oh yes, what fun I’ll have! Villains are not just stereotypical vamps. For instance, in Kutumb Kirrtan, Shivani and her mother-in-law see each other as ‘villains’, don’t they?”
The acting bug clearly holds Tanvi hostage, and she is more than happy doing what she loves — so much so that she wasn’t able to soak into Hyderabad’s historical, gastronomic, or movie scene, though it was her first time in the city! So, she has a bucket list for the next time she’s here; a place to be, a dish to eat, and a celeb to meet: “Charminar. Jackfruit Haleem. Ram Charan.”