We caught up with the bubbly Gouri G Kishan during her shoot for Joy Alukkas’s latest collection- Grace by Platinum Evara. The jewellery is as young, trendy and vibrant as she is. Gouri possesses a genuine passion for the craft, she is full of zeal to explore new characters. 5 years ago, 96 was released, and since then she has been part of numerous films namely Master, Karnan, Adiyae, Little Miss Rawther, and others. In an exclusive interview with JFW, we spoke to her about her dreams, aspirations, and the upcoming projects that we would see her in :
She was born to a Malayali family and grew up in Delhi and Chennai. She did her schooling in Chennai and college in Bangalore. “ I studied journalism at Christ University. I gave an audition for 96 when I was doing my 12th. In the beginning, I did not get the part because I and Trisha do not have a resemblance. But 8 months later, when I was doing my undergrad in Christ, I received a call back for a second round of audition and that’s when I was selected. I was interested, and have been a huge part of co-curricular at school. I’m a trained classical dancer, hence I was performing on stage from an early age.”
What was your first experience of acting?
To be very frank, being an actor was not my ambition. It has always felt like something out of my reach since I have no links in the industry. It happened very organically. My passion for acting is something that I’ve realized and explored within myself. Now that it’s been 5 years, acting has become an obsession, I would go any number of miles to justify the opportunities that I’ve received.
I’m a trained classical dancer. I love to perform, I love the stage and I love to express myself. A friend of mine was making a short film when I was in my 11th standard and he asked me to play the role of a gangster when I was a 17-year-old girl who was just 5ft tall. That was one of my first gigs if you can call it that. I did it with so much conviction, although I was underconfident.
Jewellery By : Joy Alukkas- Grace by Platinum Evara
Who are some of your acting role models or inspirations, and how have they influenced your work?
I love Konkana Sen Sharma and her choices like Mr. and Mrs Nair, there is something so unique and unconventional about her. I’ve watched all of her films. I love the way she performs, it’s so real and raw. Alia Bhatt is also one of my favorites. Every time she comes on screen the way she transforms into every character, it’s amazing. I love Manju Warrier, I am a fan of the journey she’s had. She’s such a cheerleader and she encourages young talent like me, it’s humbling. When I watched Thunivu, I was amazed by the way she did the stunts and her performance, age is not a factor. I want to reach that point in my life where nothing comes in the way of doing what I love.
What have been your most memorable or rewarding roles so far and why?
96 is on top of the list. It gave me the identity to be where I am today. It was very rewarding. The character I played in Little Miss Rawther, which is Naina Rawther, is also very close to my heart. There are a couple of projects awaiting, one is called Love under construction, it’s a Hotstar Web Series in Malayalam, and coincidentally my name is Gouri in that. It stars Neeraj Madhav and Aju Varghese and is directed by Vishnu Raghav. When I get to play characters that are closer to who I am as a person, I feel like I contribute better to the role.
A memorable behind-the-scenes story from your experiences of film sets?
A very memorable moment was from the sets of Master when I got to play badminton with Vijay Sir. I very fondly remember it, we played singles and he won. In Little Miss Rawther, the car is a really important character. It’s a blue ambassador and I had to drive it around. There is a scene where I drive and have to stop at a focus point, but since I wasn’t very well-versed in driving this car, I couldn’t change the gear or some glitch happened and the car just stopped exactly where it was meant to. While it was a magical incident, it turned out that the brakes of the car weren’t working and the fact that I couldn’t put it in the right gear was a blessing since it stopped and didn’t go ahead and hit a wall or something.
Jewellery By : Joy Alukkas- Grace by Platinum Evara
How do you handle rejection and how do you cope with the competitive world of acting?
Rejection is always unpleasant. It’s a very competitive field and you are always reminded of your shortcomings. I just look at the bigger picture and see how far I’ve come. It does feel bad when projects go out of your hand and someone else gets it for no reason whatsoever. But I try to focus on working on myself, physically, and emotionally, watching and learning the craft more in detail and depth rather than sulking over it.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far in your acting career?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned in my career is that nobody is indispensable. It is such a booming industry and the number of people involved reminds me that ‘ if not you, then someone else’. It reminds me to count my blessings.
Can you share instances with fans, interactions, or experiences that have touched you?
There have been many. On a very random day, when you least expect it, maybe a cab driver or someone you coincidentally met, has something very nice and unique to say about a character you played. On the sets of Master, we were shooting in the jails at Shimoga, and the juvenile kids there were very naughty and hyper, full of energy. There was this one boy who knew me and kept calling out my name. He dedicated a poem to me, and it was beautiful. I still have that video. It was very touching and moments like these are what I truly live for.
Credits:
Jewellery By : Joy Alukkas- Grace by Platinum Evara
Photography : Vinoth DK
Styled By: Shilpa Vummiti
Hair & Make-up- Dhanam-Vurve Salon
Blue Outfit : Chaitanya Rao
White Outfit : Shilpa Vummiti
