Can't make film where women aren't well-represented: Kiran Rao on exploring women in 'Lust Stories'

Can't make film where women aren't well-represented: Kiran Rao on exploring women in 'Lust Stories'

Mumbai, Acclaimed filmmaker Kiran Rao said she has always focused on creating strong-willed, independent female characters who drive the story forward, a vision she carried into her latest project, the popular anthology series "Lust Stories 3" as well.

Can't make film where women aren't well-represented: Kiran Rao on exploring women in 'Lust Stories'

Rao's segment in the Netflix anthology series follows the story of a pizza delivery boy and his twin brother, played by actor Gurfateh Pirzada, who is instantly attracted to a sultry Sana Thampi, a nail stylist, and how their mutual attraction leads them into a series of questionable decisions.

"Your apperceptive background seeps into everything you do; your intersectionality makes the kind of work that you make. So the fact that I'm a woman affects everything that I do.

"I don't think I could make a film in which a woman is not either well-represented or the protagonist, because that is not what I would enjoy watching myself," Rao, known for films like "Laapataa Ladies" and "Dhobi Ghat", told PTI in an interview.

She added that the project allowed her to explore the character of a "strong-willed and independent" woman who makes her own choices.

"I think is what I like making but it seems to be a bit of a trend with me but that's how I am I guess," she noted.

Rao said the story, written by her producer, Ashi Dua, was a departure from some of the earlier films made in the "Lust Stories" franchise, which according to her, dealt with more serious themes.

"It had young, free energy and was about two characters who just are attracted to each other and make very questionable decisions as a result of their attraction. It was a more fun entry into the idea of lust because as we all know, it's one of the most of human emotions and needs, and it was a playful way of exploring that," she added.

Rao said the film gave her the opportunity to approach the theme of lust in a "playful" manner yet featuring women characters in nuanced and assertive way.

"This particular set of film has a certain playfulness and attention to women's agency and it's there in our films across the board versus the other 'Lust Stories'. But in this one there's sort of women who are interesting, complex, and nuanced," she added.

For Pirzada and Thampi, being part of Rao's segment was a huge thing as they were joining a franchise they had always followed and admired.

"It's a privilege to be able to share the stage with such incredible actors and directors, especially as the newest two people in the room. There's nothing better we could have asked for, and hopefully, we did justice to Kiran ma'am's story." Pirzada said.

Thampi said she had followed the "Lust Stories" franchise even before she thought of becoming an actor.

"When I went to the audition, I had no idea it was for 'Lust Stories'. The casting director hadn't told me who the director was or what the project was. It was just a script that I read and I was like, 'This is fun, I kind of like her'," she said.

"So, working with her and the team on board, they were all people whose work I had enjoyed before and who I enjoyed interacting with through that process. I was committed to this script and film," she said.

Actors Aditi Rao Hydari, Siddharth, Gajraj Rao, Radhika Madan, Ali Fazal, Radhika Apte, Konkona Sensharma, Vijay Varma, and Abhishek Banerjee round out the cast of "Lust Stories 3", featuring segments directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Shakun Batra, and Vikramaditya Motwane.

The anthology is streaming on Netflix.

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