The character of Kusari in 'Ghaat' is miles away from my real life: Suruchee Adarkar

Originally a Marathi-speaking actress, Suruchee Adarkar is also fluent in Hindi. From a young age, she had a keen interest in dance and singing and received formal training in both. She has even learned Kathak. In terms of education, Suruchee holds a master’s degree in English literature. Her journey into acting began with the musical drama of Prabhakar Panshikar, with which she performed 400 shows. In 2006, she landed a lead role in the Hindi TV serial Pehchaan, and she has been consistently working ever since. For the first time, she portrayed a tribal girl named Kusari in the Marathi film Ghaat, written and directed by Chhatrapal Ninave, which proved to be the biggest challenge of her career. After making waves at the Berlin International Film Festival, Ghaat is all set to release in Indian cinemas on September 27, 2024.

• Did you grow up in an artistic environment?

No, not at all. No one in my family, or even my distant relatives, is connected to the film industry. I’m the first person in my family to take such a bold step. My father was a principal at a law college, and my mother is a homemaker. My brother is an IT engineer, so you can say my upbringing was more academically focused. However, from childhood, I was passionate about dance and singing. I trained in music and dance for four years and also learned Kathak for five years. My mother often tells me how I used to stand in front of the mirror as a child and repeat dialogues from films. During summer vacations, I learned various things like glass painting, applying mehendi, and more. After my 10th-grade exams, we had a long vacation, and during that time, there was an acting workshop happening in our area, so I joined it. That’s when my interest in acting grew. When I told my father about it, he was clear that I needed to finish my education first, and then I could pursue whatever I wanted. He never stopped me from doing anything; in fact, he always encouraged me. So, I completed my master’s degree in English literature.

• When did you decide to pursue acting as a career?

Honestly, I always thought of doing something related to the arts, but I never considered making acting my career. As I mentioned earlier, after finishing high school, I took part in an acting workshop, but then I got busy with my studies. While still studying, I got the opportunity to act in a musical play by Prabhakar Panshikar, and I ended up doing 400 shows of that play. After that, I was offered the lead role in the Hindi TV serial Pehchaan, and since then, I haven’t looked back. I kept getting opportunities to do good work, and I’m grateful for that.

• How did you land your first serial Pehchaan?

I was called in for an audition. Two weeks after the audition, I was informed that I had been selected for the lead role. However, at that time, I had never acted in front of a camera. I had no idea what would happen on set. There were several senior actors in the show, including Suchitra Bandekar, who helped me a lot. I consider myself lucky that I have not had any bad experiences in my career so far. I believe that God's hand is ding me, which is why my acting journey has been smooth and successful.

• What were the turning points in your 18-year career from 2006 to 2024?

My career has seen several turning points. In my view, every project I've done has been a new turning point for me. Every artist wants to keep working continuously. No artist wants to reach a point where they don’t have work. Despite this, every artist faces low phases in their career. I’ve experienced it too. There have been times when I didn’t have work, but I never got discouraged. I always believed that something good was just around the corner. What is most important during those low phases is how you handle yourself. My parents taught me how to navigate such times. They taught me how to accept failure gracefully. Failure is a part of life, not just for artists but for everyone. The key is to accept it as a natural occurrence. There’s a saying I always apply in my life: "This too shall pass." Whether times are good or bad, you should always remember that they are temporary. Nothing is easy for anyone, but if you keep this saying in mind, you’ll work harder and enjoy the process. You keep moving forward and never stop. For me, the most important lesson is to never stop. Secondly, those who work hard never fail. My family has always supported me through every low phase, which is why I’ve never been depressed or felt lonely. My family’s positive attitude has always kept me going.

• What motivated you to take on the film Ghaat?

After reading the script, I didn’t even question whether or not I should do the film. The unique subject and the powerful character immediately drew me in. Ghaat features only one significant female character, Kusari, who is very strong. In today’s world, portraying a tribal girl with such strength is important. After reading the entire script, I realized that having a film like this in an artist’s career is essential. I am truly grateful to the producer and director for thinking of me for this role.

• Tell us about your character in Ghaat.

In Ghaat, I play a tribal girl named Kusari. She doesn’t have a job and does small household chores to earn some money. She is strong and decisive. Kusari is an independent girl who believes in showing through actions rather than words.

• You grew up in Thane and Mumbai, so how did you prepare to play a tribal girl?

Honestly, it was very difficult and challenging for me. There were two major challenges—first, looking like a tribal girl, and second, speaking like one. The lifestyle, attire, and dialect of tribal people are very different. To convince the audience, it was crucial for me to appear as authentic as Kusari. Speaking in their dialect was also a challenge because I had never spoken it before. The writer-director, Chhatrapal Ninave, is from that region, so he guided me on how to portray the character and speak the language. Chhatrapal sir even took a risk and took us actors to real locations in a Naxalite area. We interacted with the tribal people, observed their way of life, and absorbed it. We saw firsthand how rough and uneven the roads in the jungle are and how they still walk barefoot. We studied their body language and discussed their problems. I must admit, it was a little scary going there. But after that trip, we all realized how much better our lives are compared to theirs. Kusari is very different from my real life.

• Ghaat was well received at the Berlin International Film Festival. Why do you think it resonated with audiences there?

The film is unique. It’s raw and intense, and people hadn’t seen a story like this before.

SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

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