Sonali Kulkarni’s storied career has never been restricted to acting. Alongside headlining films, plays and web series, Kulkarni has been a columnist with the Marathi newspaper Loksatta and continues to be a member of the anti-superstition organisation, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. In her latest role, Kulkarni has turned podcaster.The Marathi-language podcast Half Ticket Full Nagrik, which Kulkarni hosts and produces, aims to give children the opportunity to freely express their opinions, feelings and desires.Kulkarni set out her ambition for the show in a press release: “Whether it is making family decisions, travel plans, financial choices, or even simple everyday matters, children are rarely asked what they feel. I feel there is a lot of emotional violence when it comes to younger people. They matter a lot and they bring peace, joy and harmony into the world. We must protect their innocence yet give them a seat at the table.”Each episode begins with an adult – parents, teachers and psychologists – before moving to a child. For instance, in the first of the two episodes that are out on the Aarpaar platform’s YouTube channel, Bhoopali Nisal speaks about adopting Srujan as a single woman and setting up an engineering business. Srujan too shares her thoughts on why she calls her mother her father, her creative pursuits and tackling loneliness.Half Ticket Full Nagrik relies heavily on Kulkarni’s talent for putting her guests at ease. Empathy and involvement in social concerns have been hallmarks of the 51-year-old actor since her acting debut in Girish Karnad’s Cheluvi in 1992. Kulkarni was only 18 years old at the time and still in college.Her next releases in 1994 were May Madham in Tamil and Mukta in Marathi. Since then, Kulkarni has worked across languages and genres, in arthouse and commercial productions, notably Dil Chahta Hai, Dayraa, Doghi, Devrai and Gabhricha Paus. She has even been in an Italian film, Fuoco Su di Me (2006).Kulkarni has appeared in streaming shows too, most recently Manvat Murders, in which occult beliefs lead to the murders of young girls. Her upcoming films include Madhur Bhandarkar’s The Wives, the Nani-starrer The Paradise, and Vishwas Joshi’s untitled Marathi movie.Kulkarni spoke to Scroll about turning podcaster and her journey as an actor. Here are edited excerpts.What inspired Half Ticket Full Nagrik?Knowingly or unknowingly, I have been talking about younger people. But the real reason is my own daughter, Kaveri. She gives me a wonderful sense of belonging.Some people feel that they reach the epitome of womanhood with motherhood. I am not of that opinion. I stand away from the glorification of motherhood. I enjoy conversing with co-parents, teachers and friends who don’t want to marry or who are married but don’t want kids.A podcast made sense. I wanted young people between the ages of six and 16 to speak their minds. I am not saying, this is how you should behave. I am trying to understand how they feel.