Karisma Kapoor on prepping for Brown: Had different kinds of coaching happening, like how to roll a cigarette as I am a non-smoker

According to Karisma Kapoor, the way women are portrayed has improved over time, and streaming services have only helped.

Karisma Kapoor in Brown (Courtesy: Karisma Kapoor/Instagram)

Karisma Kapoor says that she had to get out of her comfort zone to play a cop in the upcoming drama series Brown which is the only Indian show on the Berlin Series Market Selects platform. The director of Delhi Belly, Abhinay Deo, came up with the idea for the Zee Studios-backed noir series, which is based on the book City of Death by Abheek Barua.

Karisma, who dominated Hindi film in the 1990s and 2000s with hits like Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1 and Judwa, said Brown was very different from the roles she had previously performed on screen.

In an interview with PTI, the actor said that they are always changing and getting better. OTT makes it possible to show a character in many different ways. This show forced her outside of her comfort zone. Karisma had to push herself since there are some things she does in the show that she doesn't do in real life. She found it interesting to do that.

Rita Brown, a police officer who is an alcoholic, is the main character of Brown. She and a widower with survivor's guilt work together to solve the murder of a young girl, even though they don't like each other. The 48-year-old performer was immediately interested when the show's creators approached her in 2021 because it would allow her to showcase a new side of a woman.

Karisma went on to say that Rita Brown's job is so dissimilar from her own in the past. All of them have positive, negative, beautiful, and broken characteristics, which is what makes her so genuine and human. Her character also experiences a wide range of emotions, which is another factor that drew her to the show. They are unable to see the several issues she is facing on TV. Thus, making her real and creating her was an exciting challenge.

While the show is set in Kolkata, Karisma claimed that she put a lot of preparation into playing this role. Her preparation included learning Bengali. They prepared for months, not just with the actors but also with the screenplay and the setting. In addition to reading the book, she received tutoring in a variety of areas, including language skills and how to roll cigarettes because she doesn't smoke.

Following her return to acting with 2020 Mentalhood, the actor's second OTT appearance is with Brown. According to Karisma, the way women are portrayed has improved over time, and streaming services have only helped by giving female actors roles as strong female protagonists.

She added that great female characters are available in movies from every generation. Also, they are always changing. Karisma considers herself fortunate to have appeared in movies like Fiza and Zubeidaa. Although she would prefer more, that is the situation. Perhaps OTT nowadays provides the strong female protagonist more room.

When an Indian show was chosen for a famous film festival, Karisma was thrilled and amazed by the praise for the show. She said that it is also fantastic to witness the lines blending today and the recognition and appreciation of Indian television and film productions. Today, a global audience is able to view the results of all the effort, which is incredibly heartwarming.

Brown features several actors, including Soni Razdan, Surya Sharma, and KK Raina, as well as the return of the veteran actor Helen.

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