Kirti Kulhari is starting a new part of her career.She has become a producer with her first movie, Kinaare, which will be shown at the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) on Friday, October 30.The movie is written and directed by brothers Akbar and Azam Qadri.Kirti produced it through her company, Kintsukuroi Films, along with Abhishek Koka and Maansi Guptey.She also stars in the movie with Rajeev Siddhartha, Alka Amin, and Ravi Taneja.
Kinaare is about Amina, a single woman who takes care of her old parents and their home.
Her life seems normal until her cousin brother, who hasn't been around for 15 years, comes back.In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Kirti talked about the film’s premiere, her decision to become a producer, and other things.
What are your first thoughts about Kinaare premiering at DIFF?
We finished shooting the film in January.
As a producer, I feel very happy and proud about how quickly we did it, from starting to finishing and now showing it at DIFF.I know that sometimes it takes a long time for a film to be ready.
I was at DIFF last year with Full Plate.
That was my first time there, even though I had heard a lot about it.I think it's better to go to a film festival with a film.That's what I did with Full Plate and now Kinaare.To return to DIFF the next year with my own film, both as an actor and a producer, makes me very happy.
Tell us about the unique name of your production house.
It's called Kintsukuroi.
It's a Japanese word meaning mending broken pottery with gold.I believe cinema is that gold that can heal broken hearts and minds.That's why I chose this name.Cinema and art have the power to heal, make us think, and encourage us to look within.
Usually, when actors become producers, they focus on being behind the camera.
But you are doing both in your first project.How was that experience?
I would have liked to just produce.
But the script and the chance to play this character as well as producing came together in a way I couldn't choose one over the other.I really enjoyed doing both.
What helped was that I'm comfortable with acting now.
It comes naturally to me.Over the years working with scripts as an actor, I was already used to that process.As a producer, I spent even more time with the script since I was involved in almost everything creatively.
The first few days are important for a new character to form.
Once I was into the character, I didn’t think about my acting anymore.I was more focused on others' performances.That was exciting because as an actor, I usually don’t watch myself on the monitor.Here, I was watching other actors and their performances.It was a lot of learning because I wasn't just looking at myself.I was looking at the scenes with more objectivity.
The directors helped guide my performance.
In the future, I will wear both hats again.There might also be projects where I will just produce, and that's something I find just as exciting.
How many days did it take to shoot Kinaare?
We shot it in just 18 days!
We only had one camera, so we had to be very well-prepared in advance, more than on a film with a bigger budget.When you have more money, you can afford to take some risks.
She shared that her debut production was filmed in just 18 days using a single camera."We had to be extremely well-prepared," she said.
She added that filmmaking always involves taking risks, even with careful planning, because things can still go wrong.
However, because we had limited resources and were aware of our limitations, we prepared much more thoroughly than most people would.She believes that even with bigger budgets in the future, she will continue to focus heavily on preparation.
She also mentioned that while costume, hair, makeup, and other departments are important, having a well-aligned camera and direction team makes a big difference.
Knowing exactly what and how you want to shoot saves a lot of time and money.
When asked what happens after the film festival, she said she doesn't know yet.
This is her first time going through the whole process.They are currently trying to sell the film.She wishes the industry had more clarity in such situations, as it would make things easier.In the end, she said that no one really knows what the journey of a film will be, so she is taking it one day at a time.
Going independent has two sides.On one hand, you get to do things your own way.There are no strict deadlines or fixed rules.I like working that way.On the other hand, there's more uncertainty.You have to deal with that.I made a conscious choice to make this film on my own, and I'll work things out as we go.
Right now, we're just happy to be at DIFF and show our film to people who really love cinema.
There's no business part to it right now.We're just enjoying the reason we made the film.
I haven't thought much about a theatrical release yet.
Ideally, I'd like Kinaare to be on a digital platform so it can reach its own audience.But who knows what's meant to be!
Last year, I was in Badass Ravi Kumar (2025), which was well received by audiences.
The song "Dil Ke Taj Mahal Meinn" is still popular.In a time when sequels are common, can we expect a Badass Ravi Kumar 2?(Smiles) I haven't heard anything yet!I've done a few films like Khichdi and Badass Ravi Kumar in my career, which are actually unusual when you look at my overall career.
Still, there's some exciting stuff coming up in the next three to four months.
These projects are interesting and different from each other.I'm really looking forward to them.
