Raveena Tandon on ‘Karmma Calling’ role: You will wonder whether she is good or bad

PTI, Jan 10, 2024, 12:07 PM IST

Bollywood star Raveena Tandon says it was a challenge to essay a grey character in her upcoming web series “Karmma Calling”, a show that she couldn’t take up 10 years ago.

The show, based on the popular 2011 American series “Revenge”, is set in the world of glitz and glamour, filled with deceit and betrayal. It features Tandon as Indrani Kothari, a glamorous queen of the 90s who is married to a billionaire. Her life changes when a mysterious woman, named Karma (Namrata Sheth), enters the equation.

”The character of Indrani Kothari is very different from the kind of a person that I’m in real life. For instance, I had to make sure that I didn’t bring in my own thoughts, sympathy, while playing this character, I had to become someone else,” the actor said at the show’s trailer launch event on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old actor, known for movies like “Andaz Apna Apna”, “Mohra”, “Maatr”, “Satta”, and “Daman”, said it has been her endeavour to take on different characters.

”For instance, people have seen me in different avatars in ‘KGF 2’ and ‘Aranyak’, but this (grey) avatar (in ‘Karmaa Calling’) is something I’ve never played, be it in films or on OTT. So, it was challenging for me,” she added.

The upcoming thriller series is Tandon’s second outing in the digital space after the 2021 Netflix show “Aranyak”.

Tandon said she has portrayed the character of Indrani Kothari with utmost honesty.

“It was a bit difficult to play Indrani Kothari, and you will realise once you see the show. The character gets revealed every episode, and you will wonder whether she is good or bad, so maintaining that balance is difficult. It is important for us to perform honestly because only then it will strike a chord with the audience,” she said.

“Karmma Calling” is adapted and directed by Ruchi Narain of “Guilty” fame, for Disney+ Hotstar.

Tandon said the show was offered to her a decade ago by Narain but had to decline it due to personal reasons.

”Personally, I’m a spiritual person. This show was literally planned ten years ago when Ruchi ji had come to my office and we had talked about this show, it was for Star and she needed a lot of dates.

”At that time, my son, Ranbir was barely three-four months old so I had said no to her. So, it was karma that we all are here with the show ten years later,” the actor said.

Narain, also known for writing cult classic movie ”Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi”, said believe ”everything has its time”.

”It feels like karma has finally come calling. It’s been a long journey. Everything has its time. The way the world, the country has changed, like we have always had amazing talent like Raveena at that time.

”I actually always wanted to make the show with Raveena and ten years later we have even a wonderful cast with Namrata (Sheth), Varun (Sood) and so many of the actors, who you will get to see as the show reveals itself. I’m overwhelmed and extremely excited,” the director said.

Actors Vikramjeet Virk, Waluscha De Sousa, Gaurav Sharma, Viraf Patel, Amy Aela and others round out the cast of the show.

“Karmma Calling” will debut on Disney+ Hotstar on January 26.