Actress Kalki Koechlin turns one year older today (January 10). An acclaimed actress known for her unconventional body of work, Kalki is considered one of the most talented actresses of Bollywood who has impressed everyone with her acting skills.
Kalki made her debut in Anurag Kashyap’s modern day version of Devdas titled Dev D and won a FilmFare award in the Best Supporting Actress category. Kalki has time and again promoted feminism through her films and has also broken stereotypes by being vocal about many social issues in her films.
So on the occasion of her 34th birthday, let’s check out a list of films that proved why she is one of the finest actresses of Bollywood;
Dev D
After studying drama at Goldsmiths, University of London, Kalki returned to India and made her debut in Kashyap’s modern day Devdas, Dev D. She featured as Chandramukhi in the film opposite Abhay Deol. Kalki was widely appreciated for her portrayal of modern day Chandramukhi. Her acting skills in the film made her an overnight star and even fetched her Filmfare award in the Best Supporting Actress category.
That Girl in Yellow Boots
The film featuring Kalki and Nasseruddin Shah in the lead roles was directed by Kashyap and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival followed by Venice Film Festival in 2010. The film was opened to positive reviews with many critics praising Kalki’s portrayal of Ruth, a girl who comes to India in search of her father. The film belonged to the actress as fans and critics alike have often said that Kalki carries the film on her shoulders with great panache.
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
The biggest commercial success of Kalki’s career, it’s romantic drama featuring Kalki in the supporting role as Aditi, a happy go lucky tomboyish girl, who stick with her friends no matter what. After the success of this film, the actress earned a huge fan following among the youth. Her performance in the film fetched her a nomination at Filmfare Awards in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Margarita with a Straw
The film stars Kalki as Laila, a teenager with cerebral palsy, who moves from New Delhi to Greenwich village for higher education. The film deals in social model of disability, care giving and human sexuality. The film was universally applauded and received a standing ovation at the 2014 TIFF. Kalki won several accolades for her role, including the National Film Award (Jury). Many critics have regarded Kalki’s performance in the film as truly remarkable.
Waiting
Kalki’s second film with veteran actor Nasseruddin Shah showcases the relationship between two people from different walks of life who befriend each other in a hospital. The film opened to positive reviews and was noticeable for Kalki and Nasseruddin’s pairing in the film. The film was also commercially successful at the box office. The film also had a special screening at the closing gala of London Asian Film Festival, where Anu Menon won the Best Director Award.