‘Wanted to explore the greys’

Shakun Batra on going beyond the oversimplified idea of love in Hindi films with Padukone-starrer Gehraiyaan

The story of Gehraiyaan began with a desire to write something on infidelity because the idea of love has long been oversimplified in Hindi cinema, says Shakun Batra who has “zoomed out” to explore the greys in relationships in his first film after Kapoor & Sons (2016).

The pre-release buzz for the film, starring Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa along with Naseeruddin Shah and Rajat Kapoor in supporting roles, is strong and the filmmaker said he is waiting to see how the world receives his take on relationships when it premieres on Amazon Prime Video on February 11.

Shakun Batra

The story revolves around Padukone’s Alisha, a woman whose six-year-old relationship has grown monotonous. She has an affair with her cousin Tia’s (Panday) fiancé Zain, played by Chaturvedi. “I’ve been trying to write something about infidelity for a while. It was something that was on my mind even before Kapoor & Sons,” said Batra, adding, “Infidelity because I feel for the last so many years the idea of romance and love has been oversimplified in Hindi films and it did not feel authentic to me. I wanted to zoom out and start seeing more complexity in the idea of love. I wanted to go to a place that did not seem so black and white. I wanted to explore the greys.”

Batra, who made his Bollywood debut with 2012 film Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu has also introduced an intimacy director in Bollywood, a practice he hopes more filmmakers will adopt going forward. Intimacy directors not only help in making intimate scenes feel more authentic, they also ensure the well-being of actors involved in those scenes. “I knew that intimacy was an integral part of the story, but I wanted to make sure  it does not stick out. [I wanted intimacy] to stay consistent with the storytelling and what the characters are feeling. It is something that even I was very scared of. I called my friend Dar Gai [Ukrainian filmmaker based in India], not just for her advice but also her presence.”

 According to Batra, it was important for him to give his actors a safe environment in the post MeToo world. “I have been reading about intimacy in the West in the post MeToo world. I wanted to encourage that system of security and safety. I wanted actors to feel mentally and emotionally in a more safe environment. We had intimacy workshops, which are not different from theatre workshops. They are trust-building exercises to make sure that everyone understands each other’s boundaries and consent. I am glad that I did it.”

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