MUMBAI: Actor Kritika Kamra says she did not expect her debut series "Tandav" to get embroiled in a massive political storm but the experience has not left a bitter taste as she hopes to continue to do stories that have something meaningful to say.
The Ali Abbas Zafar-directed series for Prime Video released in January last year and found itself in the middle of a controversy over allegations that it depicted Hindu gods in an objectionable manner.
The fictional political series, headlined by Saif Ali Khan, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Dimple Kapadia and Karma, received backlash on social media by a section of people over a controversial scene, which led to multiple FIRs.
In an interview with PTI, Kamra, who currently stars in the comedy "Kaun Banegi Shikharwati", said what happened with "Tandav" was a learning experience, but one which has only encouraged her to follow her instinct as an artiste.
"It has not changed anything and how I make choices, at all. If anything, it has just emboldened my idea. It was a learning experience... But I will still be a part of something that is doing more than just entertainment and at the same time be a part of something like 'Kaun Banegi Shikharwati', which is just pure entertainment. My job is to do both convincingly," she said.
The actor made her OTT debut with "Tandav" after a successful career on TV with hit shows like "Kitni Mohabbat Hai" and "Kuch Toh Log Kahenge". The 33-year-old said she had signed up "Tandav" because she believed what the show stood for but is also aware that in today's climate, no one can anticipate what might offend the audience.
Prime Video had to issue an unconditional apology and ultimately remove the "objectionable" sequences from the series. "I believed in the show and that's why I was a part of it. Of course, it made that noise and all sorts of conversations which humbles you, makes you realise that you can never really tell with anything, anymore. It also tells you that you are always going to offend someone or the other," she said.
"But the intention was never that. People who wanted to understand that, got it. But it spilled into a space where it was in nobody's hands. I have never seen a piece of entertainment become news for something like that!" she added.
Kamra's second OTT venture, "Kaun Banegi Shikharwati" is currently streaming on ZEE5. The show stars Naseeruddin Shah as an eccentric king in search of his heir apparent - one among his four daughters, played by Lara Dutta, Soha Ali Khan, Kamra and Anya Singh.
Kamra said that the pandemic has pushed her to go out of her comfort zone and take more risks in her career, fearlessly. "Kaun Banegi Shikharwati", which features her as a social media influencer, aligned with her desire to break away from the sweet-girl stereotype.
"What the pandemic has done to me is that it has made me more courageous, a risk taker. The pandemic taught us that life is unpredictable and precious so might as well do things that don't feel safe. I want to expand my horizons and do things people don't expect from me. All the choices I have made in the past one year have been unconventional, including this," she said.
"It is a risky character because it is not endearing, it is annoying. She is shallow, full of herself, insensitive and politically incorrect. But it was a challenge for me. On the surface, it looks like a fun easy breezy character but sometimes they are the more difficult ones because they are not relatable," she added.