'Please don't cast me': Kani Kusruti on Bollywood offers
Malayalam actor Kani Kusruti, fresh off global praise for All We Imagine as Light, has a request for Bollywood: "Please don't cast me."
She explained that her Hindi isn't strong and she doesn't feel connected to North Indian culture, so she worries she can't do justice to those roles.
Language barrier, cultural disconnect for her
Kani shared that she still thinks in Malayalam and has to translate everything in her head—even when speaking English. That language barrier makes Bollywood projects tough.
In Anubhav Sinha's Assi, her character was written specifically for her background—a rare exception.
Her career so far
Born in Kerala to social worker parents, Kani trained in theater both at home and in Paris.
She's been acting since the mid-2000s and has picked up awards for films like Biryani.
For now, though, she's sticking with the stories—and languages—she knows best.