Laapata Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao, was released in theatres on March 1. The film is getting love and support from critics and audiences alike. Salman Khan is also a fan. Speaking candidly with RJ Stutee on HT Smartcast’s The Super Womaniya Show, the screenwriter and director spoke about not only her latest release, but also how she created a space for herself despite coming from ‘a very regular family’.
‘I felt like I was losing my identity’
Kiran Rao said, “Beyond a point, as an artist, you get accustomed to the idea that whatever you do will provoke people. In some ways, that’s your job…You need to create a space for that and step away from it a little bit. I’ve learned to do that because I came from a very regular family and suddenly, I was in this media glare. But I knew the media was interested in me only through the lens of being Aamir Khan’s wife. They did not know me. It was difficult in the beginning because I felt like I was losing my identity.”
Kiran also discussed the daily struggles of both working and non-working women, the expectations society holds for them, and the fight for freedom that is fought in every aspect of their lives. Highlighting why it took over 10 years for her to direct her second film – Kiran’s debut film as a director Dhobi Ghat came out in 2011 – she said, “I had been writing since Dhobi Ghat, but I wasn’t very happy with the scripts. So, while the search was on, Aamir came across this script when he was judging a competition in 2018. He told me about the story in a line. Once I got it, I too was impressed by it.”
Kiran added that though the film was out of her ‘creative zone’ owing to its mass-appeal nature and rural setting, she took it up as an exciting challenge.
On her growing up years
Talking about her entry into and experiences in the film industry, she spoke about her childhood and how her parents laid the foundation for her independence as an individual.
“I grew up in Calcutta until I was 18 years old. My parents’ constant support and upbringing gave me confidence for life… In school, I had a liberal, wonderful, in some ways, communist upbringing. I think that prepared me for life as I didn’t place so much emphasis on money, standing, and privilege. And I placed importance on everybody being equal instead.” Kiara added, “It was during college and my Masters in Jamia that I got a broader perspective and understood what women’s struggles had been.”
Leaving a message for all Indian women, Kiran said, “You as an individual have rights and a voice. Find that voice, assert yourself, and there will always be people who will accept you and who will want to hear that voice. Go and fight for your dreams.”
About Laapataa Ladies
The film stars newcomers Pratibha Ratna, Sparsh Shrivastav, and Nitanshi Goel. Laapataa Ladies also stars Ravi Kishan and Chhaya Kadam.
The film is presented by Jio Studios and produced by Aamir Khan Productions and Kiran Rao’s Kindling Productions. The film is based on an award-winning story by Biplab Goswami.
The film is a comic take on two brides in rural India. Set in a fictitious state called Nirmal Pradesh in 2001, Laapataa Ladies is a story of the brides Phool and Pushpa. They accidentally get swapped during a train journey. While one is taken home by another’s groom, the other is left stranded at a railway station. A police officer, Kishan, takes it upon himself to probe the case.
