What is the similarity between Kajol and Sanya Malhotra? The Trial season 2 director Umesh Bist reveals

The Trial season 2 and Pagglait director Umesh Bist reveals the similarities between Sanya Malhotra and Kajol, and his inspiration for writing strong women

Umesh Bist became a new part of the Kajol-starrer web series The Trial as he took over the directing duties for the recently released season 2 from Suparn Varma, who helmed the first. Season. Ask him about the unique flavour he brought to the show, he says, “Writing is unique to every person, and same is with storytelling. Har insan ka apni kahaani bayaan karne ka andaz alag hoga. Even if I was to do season 1, it would have been different from what it was as that would have been my style.”

Umesh Bist on Kajol and Sanya Malhotra

Watch the entire interview with Kajol and Umesh Bist here:

Before Kajol, Umesh Bist directed actor Sanya Malhotra in the film Pagglait (2021). With both being critically-acclaimed actors, did he find any similarities in them? “Kajol has a kind of pure innocence. So when she is developing a character, you get a blank page and her emotions are pure and honest. There is no scheming or manipulation, her honesty reflects when I talk to her and when she performs. And the same quality was in Sanya Malhotra too– the innocence. When you meet good actors, unke chehre pe sab kuch likha hua dikhai deta hai. That was one thing very similar between them and I enjoy working with such actors who are generous, giving and trusting,” he responds.

Having shown strong female characters through both these stories, Umesh shares where he gets the inspiration to write such women. “All your writing and films come from a deep space of your experience and memories. I have been very fortunate to have had very empowered women around me and realised that their journey has been tough. Women are always under scrutiny, irrespective of the fact that they are in a position of power or not. There is always a kind of lens that is at them. They have to navigate all the patriarchal barriers which are very much a part of reality, no matter how empowered you are. They have to face those hurdles and figure out their own way to overcome them, and I could empathise with that,” he says.