In Netflix's Saare Jahan Se Accha, Kritika Kamra shines as journalist Fatima Khan, opening up about career moves, valuing impact over duration, and life in the public eye
Kritika Kamra in Saare Jahan Se Accha
Kritika Kamra, who has proved her acting prowess for about 18 years in the industry, stepped away from the telly world for her stints on OTT. After being a part of shows like Tandav, Hush Hush, and Gyaarah Gyaarah, she steps into the shoes of a journalist in Netflix’s Saare Jahan Se Accha. In an exclusive interaction with mid-day, Kritika speaks about her limited screen time in the show, navigating her career, and more.
Kritika on her limited screen time
In the show, Kritika is asked to change her allegiance and spy for India. Ask her what she’d do with an opportunity to go undercover, and the actor quips, “I want to spy on certain producers and platforms to know what they're interested in, what they're going to make ahead, so I know the kind of choices that we're going to have as actors.”
Despite appearing for a brief period in the show, Kritika calls it a choice. While she understands the saying, “There are no small roles, only small actors,” if one doesn’t consider mainstream, they are boxed as character actors.
She explains, “The hierarchy, unfortunately, exists. But to me, the impact of a character matters more than screen time. As an actor, you don't have any creative control and don’t know what makes it to the final edit. So you play your part honestly. I'm trying to approach things like this, but I know that the market does not look at things like that. A major part of what we do, besides acting, is navigating our careers.”
Kritika on being in the public eye
In Saare Jahan Se Accha, Kritika essays the role of Fatima Khan, a Pakistani journalist at Haqeeqat Newspaper. When asked what’s inappropriate for a media person to ask when it comes to her, she asserts, “Whenever I sense any tinge of sexism in the questions, that really ticks me off. In fact, I don't get bothered by personal questions and all. As a public person, you've signed up for it; people are interested in all parts of your life, and it's up to you to answer what you want to or not with dignity. I'm not saying this is only in the media; it happens generally in life as well, and I feel like we should draw a line.”
Being a part of social conventions also means being subjected to being hit on. Kritika maintains that she can tell when someone tries rehearsed pick-up lines. “I'm an actor. I'm a little finicky about the delivery of it. So, if it's not smooth, don't do it. You should try to charm instead,” she concludes with a laugh.
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