Surfing the Ocean -Kakoli Haldar

Impressions and influences during the formative years of our life lead us to choices in career, relationships, social standing, educative and other forums. Kakoli too was influenced to a great extent.  In her family, everyone was connected to some art form and creative in mind-set.  It was obvious she would incline towards this kind of choice in a career when she was ready. 

Kakoli born and brought up in Bhuvaneshwar, Orissa. Bhuvaneshwar is known as the Temple City.  Many beautiful monuments and temples are a tourist attraction.  In a city like this art finds its way to flourish and get nurtured.

Kakoli’s father was known to read poems, mostly written by others.  Oratory skills to read poems are not for everyone.  He was blessed and was well known in the area they lived in.  It’s only later that the family got to know that he too wrote poems and DurgaStrotas.  He was a qualified Engineer and did well in his business. Poems and scrip writing was his passion and hobby.  He had written many scripts for theatres. Kakoli’s mother was an actress in the Udiya film industry.   With a genetic linage of parents from the industry, Kakoli took to this field – like a fish to water.  Kakoli’s maternal grandfather was a famous scriptwriter of Odiya films and her aunt (mother’s sister) too was an actress.  Family responsibilities took priority for Kakoli’s mother and she quit acting in films as the family always came first.

With no scarcity of motivation, Kakoli naturally took towards acting and dancing like her mother. In school, she learned music and art.   Literature is a hereditary trait for Bengalis and their contributions to our country’s literally corpus are immense.  Kakoli was good at extracurricular activities in school and took part in most singing competitions. She excelled in Dancing and took to painting, in which she did well both in School and College levels.  Having been in a creative environment she loved poems and reciting poems, especially the captivating, soul-stirring verses by Rabindranath Tagore – one of her favorites.

As she grew and wanted to pursue this field, her father did not want her to sacrifice her studies for this.   Hence she convinced her father that she will take up singing assignments only after she completes her studies.  She did a few classical and religious (bhajan) events on stage and became a popular name and voice.

The year 1994, an Indian beauty (Sushmita Sen) won the hearts of millions and walked away with the Ms. Universe title.   Kakoli and many like her wished to move towards that direction and were enamored with the kind of media and world attention these kinds of events get. Kakoli convinced her father but was allowed on one condition.  She could participate but will be accompanied by a family member. 

With this consent, she did do a few assignments on stage and with Etv-Odiya and a few projects from the South and music albums.    At the peak of her active involvement, she got married and moved to Agra and opted to become a homemaker.

2009, tragedy struck and Kakoli lost her father and on her marital front, she faced domestic violence and abuse.  She reached such a state that she had to flee to save her life and that of her child.

Back home she was lost and was not sure what the way forward would be.  Being a single mother and with our society attaching a stigma to divorce she gathered all the will power and moved to Mumbai.  Once in this dream city, she looked for a job. A receptionist position was offered, but her brother rightfully asked her to look for a job matching her qualification (MBA in marketing ), However, not to give up she took up the job of a receptionist and grew with sheer hard work and dedication. Assistant Manager for Customer Service to Key account Manager – a well-deserved and inspiring journey.

Once a tad settled in Mumbai, the passion of beauty pageant never left her.  She gathered enough confidence thanks to her friends took up modeling assignments.  She took part in contests in Dubai and won the title there despite being a mother and having gone through a bad marriage.  She won the Mrs. Beautiful Smile of the year 2019 in Mrs. India event in Dubai and Mrs. Beautiful face of the year 2019 in Goa.  The big screen was not too far, Kakoli got assignments for acting.  Presently she is doing movies in Bengali and music video in Marathi.  Many more in the pipeline in the future.

Life is like an ocean with waves of all sizes.  Waves are the challenges that will never stop.   Taking them on and winning over the hurdles is what LIFE is. Kakoli is a true example of the determination and willpower, each one of us has within us.  We just need to unlock this dam of will and determination to win and set an example to the world!