Actor Kani Kusruti, who starred in Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine as Light" which won the Grand Prix award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, opened up about the financial struggles she faced when she started out in films.
"I am at peace only when I am financially independent," she told Asianet News in an interview, adding that there have been times when she has had to act in films that she was not keen only, purely to earn a living.
Kani Kusruti, 38, fought back tears as she recalled how she landed the lead role in the critically acclaimed 2020 Malayalam film "Biriyaani" which won her the Best Actress award at the Kerala State Film Awards and at the Moscow International Film Festival. The film is written by Sajin Baabu.
"Sajin (Sajin Baabu) approached me at a time when I had no money. After reading the script, I told him I have many problems with it and that I don't think I'll be able to do it. I told him to look for another actor.
She added that she was in need of money at that time but did not feel like doing the film. Two to three months later, Kusruti said the filmmaker and writer returned her.
‘Offered ₹70,000 for Biriyaani’
{{/usCountry}}She added that she was in need of money at that time but did not feel like doing the film. Two to three months later, Kusruti said the filmmaker and writer returned her.
‘Offered ₹70,000 for Biriyaani’
{{/usCountry}}"I said I was not interested in doing this film but that I did not have any money. I think I was being offered around ₹70,000. That was a huge amount for me. I had only around ₹3,000 in my account. So getting ₹70,000 was a good thing" she told the Malayalam news channel, choking up and fighting back her tears.
"So that is how I did it."
Kani Kusruti, whose parents are activists, said she would have stuck to theatre and may not have entered films if she she could earn better in theatre.
“In the future too, if I don't have the circumstances to earn a living, I may have to do things which I don't want to. There are many people like that,” she said.
Watch the video here:
Kani Kusruti makes waves at Cannes
The Kerala-born actor was among the Indians who attended the Cannes Film Festival this year. Kusruti and her team of “All We Imagine as Light” beamed in joy in front of the French shutterbugs. They also shook a leg on the red carpet. Her watermelon clutch on the red carpet sent a strong message of support for the people of Palestine.