THIS year, the world discovered one of India’s best-kept secrets, Kani Kusruti.
The acclaimed actress brought depth to successful web serials in multiple languages and delivered impactful performances in two contrasting films that made waves on the international festival circuit.
Her standout achievements included Girls Will Be Girls, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and All We Imagine As Light, which won the Grand Prix prize at the Cannes Film Festival. These successes marked a significant turning point in her career, likely opening doors to future projects in the West.
Eastern Eye caught up with the versatile actress to discuss her dream year, the success of All We Imagine As Light, her Cannes triumph, and what inspires her.
How do you reflect on the amazing year you have had?
Personally, I have always had a great life. That is how I see myself. But as an actor, I que year. You just keep working without thinking about validation. I simply live my life day by day, like most people.
You have had successful web serials and international acclaim for your films this year…
Yes, this year has brought rewards and validation that I had not experienced before. It was overwhelming, but I try not to let it affect me too much. I do not want to get carried away. I see it as just another year, and I continue to move forward without being too happy or sad. Sorry, I don’t know if I disappointed you.
No, you haven’t. How do you feel about two of your films making a major impact on the festival circuit?
I am very happy, but I believe a film is the result of many people’s hard work. I just happened to be part of two that were released in the same year. If they had been released in different years, perhaps each could have had more time to shine. That said, my best memories are from the years when we were actually shooting the films.
Tell us about that experience.
Both films were directed by women with predominantly female crews. The shooting process was quiet, collaborative, and deeply fulfilling. Those years were probably more amazing to me than this year.
Did you feel that All We Imagine As Light would be special while working on it?
Yes, I did. Payal Kapadia, the writer-director, first approached me seven or eight years ago with an early draft of the script. She initially wanted me to play the character Anu, as I was much younger then. Payal wrote and developed the character with me in mind after watching a short film of mine that she liked. I was thrilled that a female director from another part of India recognised my craft and reached out to me. From that moment, I knew I wanted to work with her.
What happened next?
This project remained in development for a long time. As the years went by, I started to feel that I might not be able to play the role of Anu because I was aging. Eventually, Payal suggested that I audition for a different part instead. Throughout those years, she stayed in touch with me, and I always felt a strong desire to work with her. It felt like one of those rare opportunities you simply cannot let slip. Even before I read the final draft of the script, everything about the project felt perfect.
What stood out to you about the film?
I particularly liked the ending. The poetic language of the script was extraordinary. The script was so well written, that there was nothing to be changed. It felt like a beautifully written novel, touching and empathetic. The ending, where the characters embrace inclusivity and female friendship, was especially moving. I told Payal that even if the film had not been made, the script deserved to be published as a book.
Your performance conveyed so much through subtle, wordless expressions.
Thank you, but I am my own biggest critic. There are many aspects of my performance I am not happy with.
Oh no, you’re brilliant in this film.
Yeah, I’m a bit hard on myself that way. I was especially happy to see Divya (Prabha), my co-actor, because I have known her for the past 10 years. Watching her evolve and refine her craft so beautifully was an amazing experience for me as an actor. When I saw the premiere at Cannes and watched her portray Anu, I felt there was almost no trace of Divya in the character – she performed it so brilliantly. Chhayaji (Kadam), who played Parvati, is also an exceptional actor. From the very first day of rehearsals, it felt like a continuous learning experience for me. As for my own performance, I find it difficult to appreciate myself.
Kusruti in ' All We Imagine As Light'How did you feel when the film won the Grand Prix at Cannes?
It was a complete surprise. I was overjoyed for Payal and the entire team because more than the actors, the crew worked so hard to get this film made. Making an independent film with a small budget in India is no easy task. This award felt like recognition of the crew’s hard work and Payal’s vision.
What went through your mind when you all went on stage to accept the award?
She made us all go on stage with her. I thought of all the female directors who have shared their scripts with me but struggled to find producers. This victory felt like it could make things easier for other independent and female directors in India.
All eyes are now on you. This year will be a turning point for you. What is your plan going forward?
Thank you, I’m taking it as a compliment. But I’m just living my life and do not have a grand plan. I do not even have a manager and have always worked with those who approached me. I admire my contemporaries in India, who are immensely talented, and hope we all continue to find great stories to perform.
What inspires you?
Life inspires me. Love, empathy and kindness have been constant sources of inspiration. Seeing unexpected acts of kindness always touches me deeply.
Why do you love cinema?
Cinema has the power to bring people together, make them think, and entertain them in unique ways. It can drive positive change and accommodate diversity. As a viewer, I find it a deeply impactful art form, and that is why I love it so much.
All We Imagine As Light is in cinemas now.
The actor’s evolving style from youth to maturity getty images
Aamir Khan embracing vintage looks with classic charmgetty images
Bold and dramatic changes defining Aamir Khan’s careergetty images
From rugged to refined Aamir Khan’s versatile appearancesgetty images
Memorable film moments showcasing Aamir Khan’s unique stylegetty images
Aamir Khan’s blend of classic and contemporary fashiongetty images
Aamir Khan’s dedication to authentic character portrayals getty images
Cinematic milestones reflected in Aamir Khan’s on-screen imagegetty images
A seated Jain enlightened teacherAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Ganesha from JavaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
A Chinese silk painting depicting the BuddhaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
ArdhanarishvaraAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Head of a grimacing yakshaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
NagaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
The Bimaran casketAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Hunia Chawla
A still from rehearsal
Them performing liveNajmuddin Saifuddin Qawwal Group
The cast of Marriage Material in key moments from the play, including Avita Jay, Kiran Landa, Omar Malik, Irfan Shamji and Anoushka Deshmukh
Sathnam Sanghera’s 'Marriage Material' adapted into bold new play on conformity
The play Marriage Material at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s adaptation of Sathnam Sanghera’s novel of the same name, which first came out in 2013.
She is lucky to have Iqbal Khan direct Marriage Material. The play, a co-production with the Birmingham Rep, is set in the late 1960s. Mr and Mrs Bains (played by Jaz Singh Deol and Avita Jay) run a corner shop in Wolverhampton. Their younger daughter, Surinder (Anoushka Deshmukh), is 16, her sister Kamaljit (Kiran Landa) is just a bit older.
They have a neighbour, Patwant Dhanda (Irfan Shamji), who, as we shall soon see, is not a very pleasant man. In fact, he comes across just as racist as Enoch Powell, who represented Wolverhampton South West for the Tories from 1950 to 1974.
It will be recalled this was a time when Sikhs working on the buses were told they couldn’t wear a turban. That was a hard-fought battle that had to be won.
The Bains, meanwhile, simply want to get their girls married off.
Nothing new here, I thought.
What makes the tale different is that the plot twists and turns down the generations. Mr Dhanda, who has the makings of a paedophile, makes a pitch for one of the girls when Mr Bains dies early in the play. “A life with no man in the house is no life,” he informs the newly widowed Mrs Bains.
Mr Dhanda has a wife but she has returned to India so he considers himself to be a free man.
Surinder’s English teacher from school, Miss Flanagan (Celeste Dodwell), who is also head of the fifth form, tells Mrs Bains about her daughter: “I don’t want to embarrass you, but she is bright. Ridiculously bright.”
She adds: “Mrs Bains, I think it would be a pity if Surinder didn’t stay on at school.” The initial response from Mrs Bains is not encouraging: “Too much education makes people’s brains get mixed up, they don’t sleep at night…”
But she is finally persuaded that Surinder should be allowed to stay on for a while longer before being married off.
Mr Bains was very old school. When Surinder confides she would one day like to be “a somebody”, he is amused that “my daughter wants to be a somebody”.
“Like you,” she tells her father.
Mr Bains consoles his daughter: “We will find a somebody for you to marry.”
At the point of a possible marriage, however, Surinder is sweet-talked by chocolate salesman Jim Wilson (Tommy Belshaw) into running away with him. They share a love of literature, and he calls her “Sue Bains”. But the relationship does not end well.
Once she has left, Surinder is written off as “dead” by her family. The story that is circulated is that she was only 16 when she was killed in a car crash. That’s better than to let on that she ran off with a white man.
By the time she is reconciled with her sister towards the end of the play, a great deal has changed. Kamaljit married Tanvir Banga (Omar Malik), a young man who helped out in the Bains’ corner shop. When the two sisters meet again, Tanvir has also died. But he and Kamaljit had a son, Arjan Banga (Jaz Singh Deol doubles up for this role after the death of Mr Bains). He has come home after his father’s death to help his mother who is still running the family corner shop.
Meanwhile, Mr Dhanda’s business has prospered. He now has a son, Ranjit Dhanda (the role is taken by Omar Malik after Tanvir’s death), and he is nearly as unpleasant as his father.
Arjan has an English fiancée, Claire (Celeste Dodwell). In London, Arjan worked as a creative director. But after deciding to stay in Wolverhampton to help his mother, he decides he cannot marry Claire because she is white. In other words, Asians are not free of racism, either. Happily, at the end, the couple are reconciled.
As for Surinder, she parted company with Jim Wilson after realising he was all talk, depended on her for money and had failed to earn a penny from his literary pretensions. She had prospered, though, as a hotel owner and had been transformed in time into a well-groomed businesswoman. After being tracked down by Arjan, she decides to return to her roots in Wolverhampton and help Kamaljit run the family corner shop. Perhaps 50 years had passed during the passage of the play.
Being subjected to racism turned some Asians into racists themselves. The word goreh (white person) is repeatedly spat out with venom. Maybe it is worth remembering the play’s audience isn’t exclusively Asian – white folk are watching as well. And maybe some of the toilet humour ridiculing white people, which always makes me cringe, could be cut out.
In Sanghera’s novel, there is a quote from Enoch Powell’s speech in November 1968: “The West Indian or Asian does not, by being born in England, become an Englishman. In law he becomes a United Kingdom citizen by birth; in fact, he is a west Indian or an Asian still... he will by the very nature of things have lost one country without gaining another, lost one nationality without acquiring a new one. Time is running out against us and them. With the lapse of a generation or so we shall at last have succeeded – to the benefit of nobody – in reproducing ‘in England’s green and pleasant land’ the haunting tragedy of the US.”
In Marriage Material, where the acting is marvellous (apart from Mr Dhanda’s Indian mannerisms and accent being overdone) we do travel across a couple of generations.
There is a scene when Tanvir rejects Mr Dhanda’s vision of creating a little Punjab in Wolverhampton.
Mr Dhanda wants to take over the Bains’ corner shop and is putting pressure on Tanvir to sign the papers. He says: “In this country, money is the path to freedom.”
“Sign, please,” he instructs Tanvir. “We must make sure our children learn to behave nicely, according to our rules.”
He insists: “We maintain our identity so we can be ourselves.”
Tanvir disagrees: “We can be us here. With the goreh.”
Dhanda warns him: “Then we will be inviting chaos.”
Tanvir’s comment is telling: “You sound like Enoch.”
Kamaljit, who is expecting a baby with her husband Tanvir, says: “I would like my child to grow up knowing the history of the Gurus and to read the Granth Sahib. And to love their culture.”
Tanvir tells his wife: “I would like my child to go to the finest schools, to cheer for England in the World Cup and eat Yorkshire pudding on a Sunday.”
Kamaljit sets out a dream that has perhaps come to pass with many third and fourth generation British Asians: “Maybe our child can do both.” Much, much later, in a throwback to the past, we learn of Surinder’s O-level results: “Biology A, Chemistry A, English Language A, English Literature A, French A, History B, Latin A, Mathematics A, Physics A…”
Kamaljit tells her younger sister: “Never mind about the B.”
And that is quintessentially Asian. Their acting is outstanding.
Marriage Material is at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre until June 21, and at the Birmingham Rep from June 25-July 5