Interview | Bobby Beauty Parlour director Shashwat Dwivedi on Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap presenting his short film

Shashwat Dwivedi revealed that he is yet to process the unusual collaboration for the film, and hasn't spoken to Imtiaz Ali about his admiration yet.

Within the span of 20 minutes, Shashwat Dwivedi’s short film Bobby Beauty Parlour establishes a stirring tale between two female friends. It follows childhood best friends Eelu and Manu, who spend their last hours together inside a neighborhood beauty parlour, awaiting a new chapter in their lives. It is a bittersweet ode to small-town aspirations and friendships packed in a coming-of-age story.

Shashwat Dwivedi's short film Bobby Beauty Parlour has been presented by Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap.

In an exclusive chat with Hindustan Times, director Shashwat Dwivedi sat down to talk about how the film took shape, and how the unusual pairing of Anurag Kashyap and Imtiaz Ali came together to present it.

The origin story of Bobby Beauty Parlour

Talking about the film, Shashwat begins, “The origin was a bunch of things coming together. My co-writer Janhavi Ashthana, who is the producer and the cinematographer of the film and me wanted to make something, since the time we were working together on Anurag Kashyap's Kennedy. We were also trying to go independent, and it was she who told me about this story and if I would be interested in writing and directing that.”

“One of the reasons why she asked me to write and direct was because the story in her mind was about these two female characters, and the only male part was rather unpleasant. So she wanted to compensate for that (smiles)! But when I got the story I realised that there was no need for compensation at all. I came in and made him an even worse character! Because some experiences are very objectively through, and even if I am not a woman… and not experienced that, but I am on either side of it. I have seen my male friends behave with girls like that, and I knew that the story was coming from a very personal and true place. So all I had to do was take that inspiration, use my own experiences of growing up… of not being sure of what life entails, and build on that. Both our actors, Adrija Sinha and Parul Rana, were also very involved in writing their characters. So that's how it came to be,” he adds.

On Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap coming on board for the film

Two of India's most acclaimed directors, Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap, came on board to present the short film. Talking about the collaboration, Shashwat calls it ‘unbelievable’ still. He shares, “When I was in film school, I used to read Imtiaz Ali's screenplays and my screenwriting teacher was a huge Imtiaz Ali fan. So by extension the whole class was an Imtiaz Ali fan. His filmography really grew on me, the way he treats his characters… it is so real. It is a commercial film but it will always feel so philosophical, which is almost a sin in commercial cinema! One of the things that I really love about his films is how he goes deep into the story and does not mind his characters feeling lost for a while… He was one of the biggest inspiration for me and I still haven't sat down with him and had a chat.”

Shashwat adds that the filmmaker behind Rockstar, Tamasha and the recently released Main Vaapas Aaunga does not know how much he looks up to him. He adds that when he had first come to Mumbai, it was on the top of his list to work under the filmmaker. But as fate would have it, Shashwat went on to work under Anurag Kashyap, who has remained a close friend of Ali for years.

“I was younger when some of Anurag Kashyap's films were releasing and I was taken aback because I had grown up watching commercial Bollywood films, and then suddenly a Gangs of Wasseypur comes and I wonder how do I process it… the difference is with Imtiaz sir I have learnt everything without working with him and from Anurag sir I have learnt everything while working with him. Since 2021, I have been working with him, but he has been a solid support. He has always been such a rock to me and is available whenever there is need,” he concludes.

Bobby Beauty Parlour is available to watch on YouTube.