Ekta Kapoor- Men & Women In India Must Watch This Film

Ekta Kapoor - Lipstick under my burkha

 

After being termed as ‘lady-oriented’ by the CBFC and initially banned, the Indian audience will finally get to watch the film ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’ directed by Alankrita Shrivastava on July 21.

At a press conference hosted by Entrepreneurs Organisation, producer Ekta Kapoor and cast members Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur addressed various questions regarding the film and the attempt to censor it.

“It is a small film with a small cast but it is so relevant. It’s got powerhouse performances by the actors. It’s about four women in Bhopal and their stories. I had to put my foot forward and release the film. Whether it’ll be a hit or a flop, I don’t know. But, both Indian men and women must watch this film,” says Kapoor about the film that also stars Ratna Pathak Shah and Konkana Sen Sharma.

The film has travelled around the world and premiered in 35 countries winning the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality and Spirit of Asia at the Mumbai Film Festival and Tokyo International Film Festival respectively.

Addressing her role in film that has been tagged as ‘bold’, Aahana Kumra challenges the term by saying that such a tag wouldn’t be put upon a male actor. “It is very easy to say that it is a bold role because I’m a woman. But that’s not to say that the role wasn’t challenging at all. I have never played anything like this character before. All the films made earlier are only from a man’s point of view. I would be an absolute idiot if I didn’t work in this film.”

The film revolves around the lives of four different women who try to find the freedom from their confined lives. It challenges the way female sexuality has been portrayed in the past and cuts through many stereotypes.

When it comes to their experience on working with the director, both Kumra and Borthakur agreed that working with a woman like Shrivastava made them feel safer on the sets. “It’s the first time I’m working with a woman who is the director. She knew exactly what she wanted. We placed our trust entirely upon her. I felt very safe hearing instructions from a female voice while I was shooting,” explains Kumra. Whereas Borthakur speaks about her experience since this is her debut film, “We did a lot of readings initially so we were prepared. Alankrita was so calm and when we were at Tokyo, a young girl came to her as an aspiring filmmaker and asked for advice. Alankrita told her to never give up!”

Vijayta Lalwani