Page 29 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

The Mix

Playing Alisha Khanna in
‘Bhram’ was quite complex and
technical for Kalki Koechlin

Kalki

Koechlin

on ‘Bhram’:

‘It’s More of a

Psychological Thriller

Than a Horror Story’

The actor on her new role, forest shoots
in Shimla and the duality of ‘Bhram’

alki koechlin her husband and child have be explained both ways,” value peace and happiness teenage girl and Koechlin’s
essays the role of a died. She’s unable to confront says Koechlin. She observed [now] because during the Khanna. Maintaining a veil
Khaunted novelist, what happened to her and a duality in Bhram that she shoot, I was in a dark space. of suspense, the actor doesn’t
Alisha Khanna, in Zee5’s certain memories and places couldn’t quite ignore but holds Coming out of it felt almost delve into detail, but says,
Bhram. The psychological- trigger her, reminding her of steadfast to the former take. like a release.” “You’re not figuring out and
thriller series which dropped the accident,” the actor reveals. “It’s more of a psychological Shooting for Bhram was an she’s not figuring out what
last month follows a woman Director Sangeeth Sivan and thriller than a horror story,” enriching but arduous experi- that connection is — until
who discovers some startling Koechlin would settle down she says. ence for the 35-year-old actor right at the very end.”
truths after surviving an with the script to mark out Koechlin is no stranger to who filmed the series while The cast of Bhram features
accident. “You know, we the places where her character unconventional and challeng- pregnant. Pivotal scenes take a host of both known (Sanjay
had to really go through the would experience memory loss ing roles. Over the years, we’ve place in the forests of Shimla Suri, Bhumika Chawla, Eijaz
entire script and mark it out and hallucinations as well as seen her play it all — from a and most of them were shot at Khan, Vikram Kochhar) and
for ourselves,” says the actor the scenes in which she would cult’s second-in-command night. “It was monsoon. So, it new actors (Anjali Tatrari,
about playing Khanna who is recollect small details. in Sacred Games (2019) to a would start raining suddenly Gehna Sippy, Garima Kaushal,
diagnosed with PTSD (Post The script (written by K. teenager with cerebral palsy in and there was a lot of mist, Susavit Sinha) and Koechlin
Traumatic Stress Disorder) in Hari Kumar whose novel Margarita with a Straw (2014) rain and mud, making those thinks viewers should keep
the eight-episode series. — The Other Side Of Her — to a socio-political activist in climax scenes pretty tough,” an eye out for the younger lot
Koechlin describes her Bhram is based on) was a Shanghai (2012). She seems says Koechlin. whose teenage arcs are “really
preparation for the role as major draw to the series for to audiences like a chameleon, The timeline of the series interesting.” As the story os-
quite complex and technical. the actor. “You can never tell slipping into roles like they’re is set both in the past and cillates between the past and
“Alisha (Khanna) has been if this is just a psychological second skin. But this shape the present with a myste- present, viewers just might
through an accident in which mind game, or whether it is shifting does take its toll. She rious connection looming be in for many revelations in
she’s the only survivor and paranormal activity. It can says about filming Bhram, “I ominously between a dead Bhram. JESSICA XALXO

December 2019 | Rolling Stone | 31