New Delhi

Artists are never the sole decision-makers of anything, says actor Kritika Kamra, who is glad her choices have helped build a perception where people don't come to her for bystander roles.

Kamra earned a lot of praise for her role as the hassled daughter trying to meet a work deadline while dealing with a family crisis all in one day in the much-loved "The Great Shamsuddin Family" and she now stars as a rich Parsi widow in filmmaker Nagraj Manjule's "The Matka King", co-starring Vijay Varma.

Both Kamra and Varma are rank outsiders who have made a name for themselves without any backing.

Kamra said she is happy with how her career has unfolded, though she would like to be in the driver's seat more often.

"He (Vijay) recently said that he is carefully trying to build his filmography. I relate with that because I'm doing the same. We both feel that the cumulative sum of everything would be worth it. And I've never had, at least not since my television years, any overnight success or one defining career moment. It has been small steps and multiple roles that have now shaped a certain perception," Kamra told PTI in an interview.

"Now, the work that comes my way is of a certain kind and quality because people see all my work together and the diversity in it or just the fact that I refuse to play the bystander in a story... So it's going to start reflecting on the things that come my way. But yes, the idea is to be in this for the long haul, and to build something meaningful over time," the actor said.

Kamra, born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, spent her early years in Madhya Pradesh and Delhi before moving to Mumbai after being spotted for a television role.

She shot to fame with "Kitani Mohabbat Hai" and its sequel, and "Kuch Toh Log Kahenge".

The actor transitioned to OTT, featuring in shows such as "Kaun Banegi Shikharvati", "Gyaarah Gyaarah" and "Bambai Meri Jaan" as well as the controversial series "Tandav".

Kamra said she has always tried to make better choices from whatever comes her way.

"Actually, I'm still not in the driving seat. I'm definitely trying to make better choices and choosing instinctively and also carefully from what I'm offered. But as an actor, you can never really be the sole decider of anything. So it's a lot about the environment, what is being made currently, what's going to come your way, how are the female characters in those things. So there are times when I have to really wait for a long time for something meaningful to come by," she said.

Playing Bani Ahmed in "The Great Shamsuddin Family" was extremely fulfilling as an actor but films like that are rarely made, she said, praising director Anusha Rizvi for her direction.

"These kinds of films have almost got lost so it was just bringing back this small film with a big heart and wonderfully written female characters. And to get to play the central part in a Anusha Rizvi film like this was absolutely a treat. I'm still not in a place where I'm bankrolling stuff or things are being written specially for me. And I would like to get there," she said.

Kamra said her character in "Matka King" is again something that she has not done before.

The actor said she was eager to collaborate with Manjule as she has been a fan of the filmmaker's movies “Fandry” and “Sairat”.

"When I got to know that he's doing this show, I found out more about it and I auditioned for it, twice in fact and eventually got the part. And then getting to know that Vijay was a part of it... He's again somebody whose work I've followed and he's a really exciting actor to watch. It automatically made for a great team to collaborate with.

"I play a young Parsi woman from South Bombay. There's nothing in common that the character and I have and she becomes instrumental in bringing or during the rise of this game, in bringing this game to her section of society and when the rich and famous start playing it," she said.

The actor said it took her a while to understand the game of Matka, a numbers-based gambling racket that was once rampant across India, as she didn't grow up in Mumbai.

"Apparently everybody in Maharashtra seems to know about it. It was a really big phenomenon in the 60s and 70s. It's a betting game where you draw cards and there's a combination of the total of certain digits that make for one opening number and one closing number. And then there are also other combinations that people bet on," Kamra said.

The actor just got married to actor and host Gaurav Kapoor at an intimate gathering in Mumbai that was unlike the many celebrity destination weddings of the past.

Kamra said it was by design as they didn't want to spend months planning the wedding. Rather they wanted to focus on throwing a party.

"We were very sure that we wanted this to be a small, meaningful, intimate ceremony with people we love at home. Very easy, very comfortable for everyone. And it was a lot of fun... Gaurav has gone back to IPL and I have been promoting 'Matka King' and prepping for my next project," the actor said.

As someone who spent years just next to Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, Kamra, who studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), is also keen to grow her saree brand.

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"I have a Chanderi saree brand that has gotten a lot of love recently. So we've decided to take things to the next level. We've shot a campaign and I am also learning how to run a business. I'm not very good with numbers but I am willing to learn that. So a lot of new beginnings in that sense.

"My hometown is just a few kilometres from Chanderi. So, there is nostalgia and childhood memories attached with the place, the weave, the craft and the people."