A breezy summer afternoon, with a few stray drops of rain cooling the air, set the perfect mood. The city hummed with its usual rhythm, but inside Flamboyant — a party den steeped in old-world charm — time seemed to slow. The golden glow of vintage chandeliers flickered against deep mahogany panels, plush velvet seats offered a quiet retreat, and the faint clink of cutlery merged with soft jazz in the background.
Against this backdrop, Koushani Mukherjee wrapped up her shoot, where she slipped into breezy, vibrant ensembles that channeled the spirit of summer. The final shot was taken, the camera clicked to a stop, and she exhaled, sinking into a cosy corner with an espresso in hand. We sit down to talk about the April 11 release, Killbill Society, the film she calls a “turning point”. And as the mellow lights fill the ambience, she leans in, ready to talk. “To be honest, Bohurupi was a turning point, but Abar Proloy was the real game-changer,” she says, taking a thoughtful sip of her coffee. “That’s what put me on Srijitda’s (Srijit Mukherji) radar, and now, here we are with Killbill Society.”
She pauses, then chuckles. “When he called me after nine years, I knew it wasn’t about a brand campaign or an event. He isn’t that kind of a person. And then — boom — his first question was, ‘Are you comfortable kissing on screen?’” Koushani bursts into laughter at the memory, shaking her head. “I told him straight up — no way. But he said, ‘Just listen to the story first.’ And, well, that was that.” What followed was an intense narration session, where Srijit Mukherji laid out the intricate, psychological depths of Killbill Society, a spiritual successor to Hemlock Society, one of Bengali cinema’s most beloved cult films. “I was blown away,” Koushani admits, leaning forward slightly. “It wasn’t just another script. It was layered, intelligent, and deeply moving. The kind of film any actor would kill to be a part of.”
And at the heart of it all? Poorna — her character. A woman teetering on the edge, grappling with life’s cruelties, sinking deeper into despair. “This isn’t your typical heroine role where you get to smile, dance, and disappear. Poorna is the film. Every frame, every moment, it’s her story,” she says. “It’s the kind of challenge I’ve waited for. And, who has not watched Hemlock Society, right? Everything about that film was so impactful, the film literally saved lives and started a meaningful conversation around mental health. Killbill Society carries the conversation forward with more awareness and authenticity.”
For the first time in her career, Koushani completely disconnected from the world. No social media, no parties, no casual meet-ups with friends. “I needed to become Poorna, and that meant immersing myself in her pain. Under Srijitda’s guidance, I underwent intensive workshops — working on everything from posture to voice modulation, emotional depth to method acting techniques. There were days I’d just sit alone in a dark room, absorbing Poorna’s trauma, trying to understand her choices. I had to dig deep into my own past, into memories I had buried,” she says, her voice lowering slightly. “Losing my mother in 2021 was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. And Poorna’s journey… it forced me to reopen that wound.”
“In fact, Killbill Society is the first project where I am in a completely no-makeup look, like not even my eyebrows were done! I applied a base and came to set and Srijitda literally took a tissue and started removing it. He said, ‘Poorna is beautiful just as she is,’” she added.
Amongst the many emotionally charged moments in Killbill Society, one scene in particular pushed Koushani beyond her comfort zone — the intimate sequence.
“It was my first on-screen kiss, and I won’t pretend I wasn’t nervous,” she admits with a small smile. “But the scene wasn’t about sensationalism. It was raw, necessary, a turning point in the story. Paramda helped me get comfortable. He was incredibly professional. Plus, we had an intimacy coordinator from Mumbai, which made the whole process structured and respectful.” She adds, “I said 'yes' because it mattered to the story, not for the sake of it. It is not like now that I have done an intimate scene, I am open to it forever, but if it is as crucial to the film as it was to Killbill Society, then sure!”
For someone who has spent nearly a decade in Tollywood, Koushani knows the industry inside out. And she isn’t afraid to call out its flaws. “In Bollywood, actors get multiple chances despite the criticism. But here? One bad film, and you could be written off,” she says bluntly. “I’ve had to fight for my place, and I refuse to settle.”
She told us that after Abar Proloy, she waited for seven months, and then Bohurupi happened. “It was frustrating,” she admits. “But I’d rather do one powerful film a year than five forgettable ones. That’s why Killbill Society is personal.”
What makes Killbill Society special for the audience? “It’s gripping, intense, unpredictable,” she says with contagious enthusiasm. “It’s not just a thriller; it’s an exploration of the human mind, of despair, of the choices we make.” And with Srijit Mukherji at the helm, Anupam Roy’s hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, and a razor-sharp screenplay, Koushani believes this could be the defining moment of her career.
“I gave this film everything,” she says, a quiet determination in her voice. “It drained me emotionally, physically, but it also fulfilled me. This is why I became an actor — to tell stories that leave a mark.”
With Killbill Society just around the corner, Koushani is already looking ahead. “I’m taking risks,” she says. “I want to surprise people.” Next up is Raktabeej 2, a completely different film where she gets to shed the intense, brooding persona of Poorna for something light-hearted and fresh.
As our conversation draws to a close, she takes a final sip of her now-cold espresso, her gaze steady.“This film changed me,” she says simply. “And I think the audience will see that too.”
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Hair and makeup: Jhalsa Dey, Sourab Mitra
Styling: Mahima Jain
Outfits: Nehha Nhata, Theatriumkolkata
Jewellery: Runway Hit