Geetanjali Kulkarni: Wanted her to take a stand in season 2

A still from the series

There's something about the Mishra family of Gullak - their daily squabbles, honest mistakes and wise lessons will leave a smile on your face. Geetanjali Kulkarni, as the sharp-tongued Shanti Mishra who holds the family together, is a delight to watch. Even as the drama's second season focused on each character's journey, it put Kulkarni's Shanti at the centre, highlighting how mothers should not be invisibilised. "In the second season, we wanted her to take a stand. A friend recently shared that most relationships survive because of [high] tolerance level. The breaking point for most middle-class families comes during sensitive encounters. Here, Shanti is not just a home-maker; she is handling the men in the house who are conditioned in a certain way," explains the artiste, who has earned a place in the Best Supporting Actor (Female): Series category of the mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards.

She credits writer Durgesh Singh for developing her character with empathy. Though Shanti comes from a world far removed from her own, Kulkarni says the nuanced writing helped her deeply identify with the part. "Every mother is different. I have played a working woman as well as a home-maker. Here, my character is different from who I am. But there are women like her around, and I find a connection when I see them."

The SonyLIV series, also starring Jameel Khan, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar, has been renewed for a third edition. "We shot for it last November. You will get to see more layers to my character in the next season," she promises.

Cast your vote for the Hitlist OTT Awards

Geetanjali Kulkarni has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor (Female): Series category for Gullak S02. The other nominees are:
>> Amruta Subhash (Bombay Begums)
>> Ashlesha Thakur (The Family Man S02)
>> Ira Dubey (Potluck)
>> Kani Kusruti (OK Computer)
>> Konkona Sensharma (Mumbai Diaries 26/11)
>> Shabana Azmi (The Empire)
>> Supriya Pathak (Tabbar)

Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistawards to cast your vote.
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Voting lines close on March 18.