Karisma Kapoor is all set to return to the screen in a never-seen-before avatar. The actor, who ruled the 90s as Bollywood’s quintessential romance lead, undergoes a stunning transformation in the upcoming ZEE5 neo-noir thriller Brown.
The series, directed by Abhinay Deo and set to stream from June 5, features Karisma as Rita Brown—a world-weary, alcoholic cop from Kolkata’s Anglo-Indian community who is haunted by her past and investigating a brutal serial killing case.
A role ‘stripped of everything’
For an actor whose on-screen presence has often been associated with glamour and dance numbers, Brown presented an unusual challenge. “People see me in a different light, and this was stripped of everything possible. That was the beauty of it,” Karisma told The Hindu.
She revealed that she was hesitant to accept the role initially. “Earlier, I refused to play the role in Brown. I was like, ‘How will I go to Kolkata for so many days?’ So, I turned down the role. After hearing the role, the character, the rawness, I said yes. It was very challenging and very exciting for me,” she said.
Describing her character, she added, “She is so broken, but she is strong, too. She has softness and hardness. I think the audience will see this uniqueness.”
No makeup, just sweat and cigarettes
Director Abhinay Deo had a specific vision for Rita Brown. He wanted her to look like she was on the verge of collapse. “I kept the brief very simple: You should not look like a cop. You should look like you are about to fall down. But at the same time, when you get down to business, you are no less than any man,” he told Times Now.
Shooting in the sweltering heat of Kolkata, Karisma recalled a specific instruction from Deo. “We were trying to deal with the heat, but Abhinay came to me and said, ‘Make the sweat your character’. So, there were no touch-ups or anything. I would just crush my shirt further and give my shot.”
The transformation extended to her lifestyle. To prepare for the role of an alcoholic, the actor, who rarely drinks, would skip dinner and have a few drinks to wake up with a hangover. She also trained to roll and smoke cigarettes specifically for the show.
