Having worked across films, television, OTT, reality shows and theatre, Madhurima Tuli has experienced different sides of the entertainment industry. From her early days in Kasturi to roles in Kumkum Bhagya and Chandrakanta, and her appearances in films such as Baby, Hamari Adhuri Kahani and Naam Shabana, her career has taken her through varied characters and formats.
For Tuli, however, the journey is far from complete. She now wants to explore characters that challenge her, reveal new sides of her personality and remain with audiences long after a film or series ends.
“Yes, I am glad that I had the opportunity to work in films, television, OTT, reality shows and theatre. I have experienced all the platforms,” she says. “But I would like to explore more, something that challenges me, something that reveals a new side of me, and stay with the audience long after the film or the series ends.”
Unconventional protagonists
She is particularly drawn to unconventional protagonists and stories rooted in reality.
“I am interested in being an unconventional protagonist or (be apart of ) stories rooted in reality, something layered, like a complex, layered woman,” she says. “The list goes on and on, so I am hoping to do stories which actually challenge me.”
Looking back at her career, Tuli says every role brought its own set of challenges, particularly because she was learning the craft as she went along.
“Honestly, from the start, every role has challenged me,” she says. “Kasturi, when I started, it was my first-ever show, and I didn’t know lighting; I didn’t know the camera, how to it, how to deliver a dialogue. I was very new.”
That first experience, she says, became an important part of her growth as an actor.
“That was challenging, and I feel, and I think I have, in Kasturi, learned a lot as an actor,” she says.
Then came ‘Kumkum Bhagya’, where she played a character with darker shades.
“Then came Kumkum Bhagya, like, the first time I am playing a negative character completely, though she’s positive, but she’s also negative when it comes to her things, her life,” she says. “So that’s completely different.”
Her work in Baby presented another challenge.
“Again, Baby, with this amazing cast and production house, performing under that pressure was challenging, definitely,” she says.
Warrior princess
But perhaps one of her most physically demanding roles came in Chandrakanta, where she played a warrior princess.
“Then comes Chandrakanta, completely different, a warrior, a princess warrior,” she says. “She had a lot of stunts. Because it was kind of fantasy, mythological fantasy, it had a lot of heavy dialogues, which were very difficult.”
Tuli says she performed most of the stunts herself.
“I have hardly used a body double. I have almost done all my stunts in that,” she says. “So that was again very challenging for me.”
Lessons from Akshay, Taapsee
Her work in Baby also brought her into the orbit of actors she admires. Tuli says she learnt important lessons from Akshay Kumar, particularly about discipline and health.
“Akshay Kumar, as I have said this before also, I think he is one of the most disciplined actors, very down-to-earth, very, like, he is a fitness freak, as we all know,” she says.
“I think all these things do matter to be a part of any industry,” she adds. “So I really learned all of this from him, like how important your health is, how important it is to be disciplined.”
Tuli also speaks warmly about Taapsee Pannu, whom she encountered during promotions for Baby.
“Taapsee Pannu, I think I have not worked with her, but of course, she was part of Baby, so we have had some meetings in promotions,” she says. “And I feel she’s a cool person. I think she knows what she’s here for.”
“She is a smart, intelligent woman, and that’s something; it’s inspiring,” she says.
Changing industry
Tuli believes OTT has transformed the entertainment industry, particularly by creating space for actors, directors and technicians to experiment.
“Of course! Thanks to OTT, I think the whole dynamic of the industry has changed,” she says. “Films were not doing well. Even the TV wasn’t doing well. Only OTT was doing well all these years, especially during COVID and post-COVID years.”
She believes the platform has also helped bring new talent into the mainstream.
“We have got some great, amazing actors from OTT, and they have been picked up, and they are like huge stars now; they are doing films,” she says.
For Tuli, one of OTT’s biggest strengths is the freedom it gives creators to experiment.
“It’s a great platform for actors, directors and technicians, everybody to experiment,” she says. “Because people want to see different kinds of storytelling.”
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Audiences, she believes, are increasingly looking for content that feels fresh and relatable.
“I think they want some good content that is relatable, which is something which they haven’t seen before,” she says. “So I think it’s a medium where you can actually experiment a lot.”
Patience, perseverance, self-belief
After around a decade in the profession, Tuli says acting has taught her that success is not always immediate and that an actor must learn how to navigate periods without work.
“What I have understood about acting today, after, like, a decade, I would say that it requires a lot of patience and perseverance, and a belief system,” she says. “You have to believe in yourself.”
“There are times when you have to wait. I mean, you don’t get work easily. You have to wait for the right time,” she says.
For her, however, the waiting period can be as important as the work itself.
“What’s meant for you will come your way. But what you do in that waiting period is definitely what defines your journey ahead,” she says.
She believes actors must use those periods to evolve rather than become discouraged.
“So I think it’s important that you evolve, that you don’t sulk, you work out, you make cautious decisions about what you want to do in life, how you want to pursue your life,” she says. “So, yeah, I think that’s what I’ve learned, and I keep learning.”
Characters with depth
There are several genres Tuli is yet to explore, and she says comedy is high on her list.
“There are so many genres I still want to explore,” she says. “I think comedy is something which I would love to explore. Then there’s, you know, rom-com, and then there’s a thriller, a cop-based thriller film.”
But genre alone is not enough for her. She wants characters with substance and complexity.
“You know, like the characters that have more substance — I mean, more; she’s more layered. Whether she’s an antagonist or a protagonist, she has to have some depth,” she says.
“Something which brings to the film, to the show, something like that,” she adds.
Wish list of filmmakers
Tuli has a long list of filmmakers she would like to work with.
“There are many actors and filmmakers I would love to work with,” she says. “There’s Karan Johar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Raju Hirani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Imtiaz Ali.”
“The list goes on and on,” she adds. “I would love to work with all of them.”
Waiting for new releases
Tuli currently has projects awaiting release, including a web film and a musical-concept short film.
“I did a web film called 1:40 AM. So that’s something which I am hoping will release this year,” she says.
“There’s one musical-concept short film that has a lot of VFX, so it’s taking a little extra time. So that, hopefully, next year,” she adds.
“For now, I’m just waiting for these to be released and waiting for some good projects to come my way.”
Milestones beyond success
For Tuli, the career milestone she most wants to achieve is not simply commercial success or recognition. It is creating characters that remain in people’s memories.
“One career milestone which I am still hoping to achieve is, I would say, that the characters which I play, whether it’s in films or series, should be remembered for years,” she says.
“Success is important, but the characters should stay with the people in their hearts, and it should be remembered for years,” she adds.
Salman, Karan Johar, Marvel
Asked about actors and filmmakers on her wish list, Tuli names Salman Khan and Karan Johar.
“There are many actors I would love to work with, but if I had to say one actor, then I’d say Salman Khan,” she says.
For a filmmaker, she picks Johar, while admitting that there are many others on her wishlist.
Her dream role is still waiting to be played. “Yet to play,” she says. “I am waiting for my dream role to come my way.”
Between OTT and theatrical releases, she chooses both.
And the film universe she wishes she had been part of is perhaps the biggest one of all — Marvel.
“I wish I had been part of all the Marvel films. I think they are just wonderful,” she says, adding that she hopes to be part of them someday.
