Exclusive: Kaali 2 Will Keep You Hanging On To Every Sequence, Says Paoli Dam

Kaali 2, the second season in the thrilling ZEE5 Original series Kaali, has just been launched. An intense action series, Kaali revolves around the titular protagonist, played by the talented actor Paoli Dam. A struggling mother, she races against time and fights against all odds to save her son’s life. She resorts to some dangerous crime and risks her own life for this. In an exclusive interview, Paoli talks to us about her entire experience while working on Kaali. Here are the edited excerpts.

Watch the trailer of Kaali 2 here:

Q: Tell us about your experience shooting for Kaali. 

A: There were a lot of emotions which were bubbling inside it, just like a pressure cooker waiting for the whistle to blow. It was my first web series, and there are two main sides to the characters. One is the thrilling aspect, Kaali is an action figure. The other is that she is a mother. So everything she actually does is motivated by this fact. We would shoot only during night to look as realistic and dark as possible. And we shot at all real locations. It was very intense, but the experience overall was absolutely wonderful and fulfilling, despite all odds. I had always wanted to venture into this genre before. When Poro (Pambrata Chattopadhyay), the producer of the show, came up with the idea and I was discussing it with him, I could visualise it immediately. Sometimes that happens, and it definitely excited me.

Q: Who did you like working with the most?

A: I don’t know if there is only one specific person I can mention! Everyone, from the rest of the cast to the camera crew and spot boy, they were all amazing to work with! All my co-actors like Chandan (Roy Sanyal), Rahul (Banerjee) who I go a long way back with, and Vidya (Malavade), we all shared great camaraderie with each other. Creators Rohan Ghosh and Aritra Sen were so brilliant too, and of course, Poro and I have worked on several movies together before.

Q: How did you prepare to get into the character of Kaali?

A: The story of Kaali represents almost every woman. I like to observe people around me and this becomes useful when playing a character so for this, I drew inspiration from literally everyone I saw that shared commonalities with Kaali — be it my domestic help or even my mother. Also, I like my character to sort of take its own shape and see what she would naturally do, as opposed to dictate her every move from before. Kaali is a masseuse, a warrior, and a mother all at the same time. Every mother I have met possesses this innate maternal instinct that is extremely powerful. Nothing is more pure or selfless than a mother’s love, and I tried to channel that spirit.

Q: Any memorable moments from the shoot you’d like to mention?

A: There are so many! You know we were using Hajmola as props for some scenes, and I love Hajmola and I really wanted to eat them (laughs). Do you know, the the ladies and all the people in charge found out and would go out of their way to keep some Hajmola for me to eat everyday! Isn’t that just so sweet? Also we  shot in both languages (Bengali and Hindi) doubly, so I remember learning those dialogues only too well.

Q: What are you missing the most during this lockdown?

A: I miss my Kaali team! We are now promoting it from our rooms, but otherwise this would have been a time we would all be together. How I miss shooting, the sets, and all the things we would do before this happened!

Q: Tell us five reasons why we should watch Kaali 2.

A: Well, nothing like this has been made in and about Kolkata before. As I mentioned, we even shot in all real locations. The script is strong and the story brilliant, and it reminded me of the time growing up when we loved watching the cat and mouse game between Tom and Jerry. Kaali is a bit like that. Of course it’s dark and gripping and a total nail-biter which will keep you hanging on to every sequence — those elements of action and suspense have been maintained throughout. But the main reason to watch it would be for the entertainment. It is going to be an amazing viewing experience!

Q: What message would you like to leave for your fans?

A: We are all going through very troubled times, with daily living having become more difficult. Kaali 2 is my humble effort that I hope will offer you a bit of respite by entertaining you marvellously, and restoring some hope and strength with it.

Did you enjoy this interview? Tell us in the comments below!

For more entertainment, watch the epic blockbuster Asur on ZEE5.

ZEE5 News: Coronavirus Update Live.