Actor Kritika Kamra has opened up about some of the toughest moments from the early years of her career, revealing that she narrowly escaped a casting couch situation when she was just starting out. In an exclusive conversation with News18, the ‘Tandav’ star reflected on her journey from television to films and streaming platforms, and the challenges she continues to face as an outsider in the industry. 

Kamra, who began her career on television before transitioning to films in 2018, said it was the streaming world, particularly her role in ‘Tandav’, that truly transformed her professional path. But behind the success, she admits, were unsettling experiences and persistent biases.

Early career challenges

Kamra recalled that rumours about the casting couch were common knowledge even before she entered the industry, something her parents were deeply concerned about.

“I had heard about things like the casting couch. My parents had read about it in the papers. I also had a brush with it but got off unscathed. It was just luck and chance. It wasn’t because I was too smart. I really wasn’t because when I had started out, I was really young," she says.

She emphasised that being an outsider, without the backing of a film family, often meant navigating unsafe and unpredictable situations.

Biases and hierarchies in the industry

While Kamra has gained considerable recognition on streaming platforms, she notes that preferential treatment and internal hierarchies still persist.

“I’ve experienced this hierarchy. I was happily doing TV and, in my head, there was no difference between TV and films," she says.

Describing the discrimination she faced, Kamra labels it “feudalism,” recalling her small-town upbringing where any actor on screen was simply an actor, without the layered hierarchy she later discovered.

“I came from a small town and anybody who was onscreen was an actor for me. I wasn’t aware of this unsaid hierarchy, which is like feudalism in a way. I also wasn’t aware of how one is perceived because of their onscreen presence and characters," she explains.

Stereotyping and awkward compliments

Kamra shared that many within the industry still tend to underestimate her intellect, often expressing surprise at her interests beyond acting.

“I think there’s a tinge of surprise in a lot of people when they speak to me or when they come to know that I know of other things apart from acting… I think they think of me as someone who isn’t smart. Nobody said it in so many words but that’s the understanding that I got. The fact that they didn’t finally think of me as someone who’s not smart was like an awkward compliment," she adds.

Stand on portraying strong women

A self-proclaimed feminist, Kamra says her guiding principle has always been to choose roles that portray women with autonomy and depth.

“I’m a feminist. I say it proudly. I care about how female characters are portrayed onscreen… Even on TV, I stayed away from kitchen dramas or shows where certain regressive themes were glorified,” she says.

Her first film, ‘Mitron’, saw her play a character with agency, a standard she has maintained even if it meant turning down roles. “Even in my first film, Mitron, I wasn’t a damsel in distress… But after that, I typically got offered a couple of films where I had two scenes and a song. I said no to those. I don’t want to do just about anything to be a part of a big film," she notes.