From a young girl who created a mark on screen with Rockford way back in 1999 to creating ripples in the UK theatre circuit, Ulrika Krishnamurthi from Hyderabad has certainly come a long way. She was nominated along with the writer of the play, Made in India, Satinder Chohan, for Off West End Theatre Awards. The Offies, as they are called, recognise new voices in independent theatre in and around London. “I got nominated for Best Female in a Play while Satinder Chohan, who recently won the Sultan Padamsee award for the play Lotus Beauty, got nominated for Best Playwright,” shares Ulrika from London.
Ulrika in a still from the play, Made in India
Ulrika moved to the UK eight years back and graduated from the Guildford School of Acting last year. She plays Aditi, a woman from rural Gujarat who is a single mother and a widow. Surrogacy is her lifeline out of poverty and the play showcases how her life alters due to the new laws in India about surrogacy.
Talking about her research for the play, Ulrika says, “We had five weeks of rehearsals before the show opened at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, in January this year. I went through several documentaries and articles about commercial surrogacy in India. As I play a Gujarati, I had to find a more authentic voice for Aditi. I was initially apprehensive about being able to portray her, but the way Satinder has written the characters — I had no choice but to go all out and tell her story responsibly and unapologetically.”
The play met with an amazing response and went on to become a fully sold out show at the Soho Theatre. “It’s really encouraging for an actor to see one’s show running full house, especially on such a sensitive matter,” says Ulrika.
Acting and breaking into the theatre scenario in UK was never an easy task for Ulrika. “It is incredibly hard for actors, as getting one great job doesn’t guarantee that you’ll work again. The only way is to embrace the uncertainty and thrive on it. Constant training and practice are what one needs. And of course, the reward for all the practice is much appreciated,” she says, adding that any role which seems challenging and impossible is “her kind of role”.
As for her future plans, Ulrika says, “I’ll go wherever work takes me — be it film or stage. I am working on setting up a theatre company and would like to take our shows to India.”
