'Just the nomination is a massive win for me'

2021-07-20 -

Prajakta Koli is among the

brightest and most influential content creators on the Internet.

Her nomination at the 48th annual

Daytime Emmy awards for her 2020

documentary Creators For Change that

focuses on Michelle Obama proves

that.

An active campaigner for youthcentric issues, Prajakta has

successfully tackled subjects like body

image, online bullying, female

subjugation, trolling and homophobia

through her projects like Shameless

and No Offence.

"When I started

creating content, I

was aware that

there is no limit to

the kind of

opportunities that will come my way." Your 2020 documentary Creators For Change that focuses on Michelle Obama has been nominated for the 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. So are you getting home the Emmy?

I don't know honestly.

Just the nomination is a massive win for me because I never thought it was even possible. It is so much to process! When I started creating content, I never thought I would be sitting here and speaking about this. The Emmy is happening. Then, our film also went to the New York Indian Film Festival. I feel very lucky to live this life that has blessed me with experiences like these.

The series tracks the experiences of adolescent girls in India, Vietnam and Namibia, overcoming adversity to pursue education. What are the challenges of education in smaller districts and towns? Lack of opportunities is one of the biggest challenges girls face across the globe.

The fact that even the idea of education is sometimes not considered for girls is heartbreaking.

The documentary is a very real story of wins and defeats and conquering one's apprehensions. You could be a girl in Namibia or a girl in Vietnam or in Lucknow... I felt this relates very well with the struggles we all go through at some level.

Your short film Khayali Pulao has made it to the New York Indian Film Festival. Do you think this journey of a 17 year old addresses certain archaic prejudices successfully?

Definitely! I think that is the soul of the film.

It focuses on how liberty and freedom is so different for different people. I think what beautiful in Khayali Pulao is how simple the story is.

Khayali Pulao is about Asha, her way of getting what she wants irrespective of what she thinks the world wants her to get.

It's an internal struggle though it's not like she is going against the world or fighting society. It's not like she is trying to break stereotypes.

Netflix's Mismatched got you noticed. You are getting key roles in meaty projects now. How do you see this phase at this point in your career?

It's definitely exciting! I never thought I would be getting these opportunities.

When no limit I started to the kind creating of opportunities content, I was that aware will that come there my is way. Hence, At the same this phase time, is I am very looking exciting. forward to trying new things. Karan (Johar) had seen Khayali Pulao and he really liked my work in that. Our casting director for Jug Jugg Jeeyo also loved me in that.

So it could be Khayali Pulao or Mismatched or anything. I think this visibility is what is opening up opportunities for me everyday.

What can we expect from the second season of Mismatched?

I wish I knew.

I have been behind Akarsh's (Khurana, director) life to just let me read the script, and let's just start shooting, but the pandemic has delayed everything.

I am kind of looking forward for things opening up little bit, so that we can start shooting.

I have read the book When Dimple Met Rishi and I love what Sandhya Menon has written, so I am really looking forward to this.

I think Dimple and Rishi will navigate through their relationship a little bit more in Season 2.

Jug Jugg Jeeyo will see you share the screen with Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani. How was your experience?

It was amazing! I thought it would be tough because it was my first film

and a Dharma Production. That's a big banner, so I was

obviously nervous. Also, since I was working with

massive stars like Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Varun and

Kiara.

But when I was on set, I quickly realised that when the

camera is rolling, they are just artistes who love their job.

They are just performers who love doing what they do.

That can be very empowering for someone like me who is

trying to learn new things.

Everyone was very helpful.

I used to ask a lot of questions to our director (Raj Mehta)

and he would always entertain them.

I would hang around on the sets and see the other scenes

too and learn from them.

Observing them in person in flesh, doing what they love,

was very inspiring.

Kiara, Varun, Anil sir and Neetu ma'am were very sweet.

Varun and I sort of hung out a bit. We shot some content

for Instagram.

Comedy is a serious business. Where do you get your ideas from?

It's a very basic trial and error situation.

I know that my online audience is changing everyday, but

at the same time, I am also changing as a creator and as a

person.

The beauty of creating content on my YouTube channel is

that I have accepted the fact that not every video, every

piece of content I upload is going to work and go viral.

You learn by trying new things.

You have been an active campaigner for youth-centric issues. You have successfully tackled subjects like body image, online bullying, female subjugation, trolling and homophobia through your projects like Shameless and No Offence.

Have you experienced anything of this personally?

Yes, of course. I was very insecure about my body when I

was young, so the shaming that happened was very

internalised.

I was never really bothered by things anyone said but I

hated my body for a very long time.

I was extremely skinny and that's the thing about body

shaming -- there is no process. You could be the size that

people think is right but you may still feel you are fat.

I feel my struggle was never about pleasing others about

how I look but about pleasing myself.

I was never comfortable in my own skin.

I think that is what came into play when we made

Shameless and started speaking against body shaming.

It really isn't about what others say, the trouble starts when

you start believing what they're saying.

Internet trolling has been a part and parcel of my life as I

have been on on the Net for over six years.

I have had friends who have gone through tough days in

their life because of homophobia.

Every piece of content, every thought, has stemmed from

reality and personal experiences.

That is why these issues are so close to my heart.

You did a light-hearted, fitness-based chat show called Pretty Fit that featured celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sanya Malhotra and Neha Kakkar. Whose fitness regime has intrigued you the most? Pretty Fit released last January. The thing about that show

is we weren't really doing what they do for fitness.

We were actually trying primitive techniques.

I remember we did pottery with Kareena Kapoor Khan,

fishing with Mithila Palkar, sugarcane farming with

Sumukhi Suresh, went to a stable with Neha Kakkar...

trying things that women have been doing for fitness since

the primitive times.

I had so much fun trying new things.

I remember talking to Kareena about how much she loves

food and that has made her so relatable because we are so

used to thinking may be actresses have to work out

because they want to look a certain way.