Kritika Kamra takes on a distinctly different avatar in her latest series, Matka King. Playing a Parsi woman from 1960s South Mumbai, she says the role demanded a nuanced and thoughtful approach. “I am not a Mumbai girl. I had to really understand the culture and tradition (of Parsi community). I wanted the character to have a little grace and poise in the way she conducts herself, her voice,” the actress, who recently tied the knot with Gaurav Kapur, shares.Kritika attributes her decision to take on the show to its creator, Nagraj Manjule. “When I got to know that Nagraj Manjule is making a series, I thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to try to be a part of it.” She adds that Manjule’s previous work, Fandry, deeply impacted her. “I’ve been a fan of his work even before Sairat; I watched his film Fandry at MAMI. I discovered him while I was educating myself about cinema. At the time, the film really spoke to me; it had a lasting impact on me. Years later, when Sairat came, it was a gut punch, and I knew it was the same director.”Her decision to step away from television at the peak of her career continues to intrigue many. Explaining her mindset, she says, “I am an unhustler. I’m not in a hurry. I don’t think that this is going to be my peak, so I must make the most of it and then retire. I don’t have the fear or insecurity of missing out on getting parts.”The actress adds, “From a very early age, I knew acting was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It’s a marathon — if you try to climb too quickly, the risk of falling is just as high. You have to wake up every day and commit to it again and again, especially if you truly care about the craft. That’s why I stepped away from television. It’s been a decade since I left — it gave me independence and identity, but building what I have now has taken time. Some of my shows really got me popular quickly. It’s enjoyable to be famous, make good money and have that security, but it wasn’t driving me. Creatively, it wasn’t appealing anymore. I work for recognition more than fame.”Author: Renuka.Vyavahare@timesofindia.com