Filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane and Shakun Batra have opened up about the criticism surrounding Hindi films that explore sex, desire, intimacy and infidelity. In an interview with News18, the directors discussed the reactions to films such as ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ and ‘Gehraiyaan’, and whether Indian audiences are still uncomfortable with such subjects on screen. Motwane argued that audiences are more receptive than often assumed, while Batra said society continues to view relationships through rigid ideas of morality.
Vikramaditya Motwane says ‘gatekeepers’ are behind backlash to bold films
Vikramaditya Motwane suggested that the response to films dealing with sexuality and intimacy indicates that audiences are not necessarily unwilling to engage with such stories. According to him, the resistance often comes from those who decide what audiences should or should not watch.“If you look at the performances of those films, it proves that nobody will step back and say they don’t want to watch those things. It’s the gatekeepers, who keep saying you can’t or you shouldn’t see that because it’s against our culture and so on and so forth,” he said.Motwane also pointed to a shift in the way younger audiences consume and respond to films.“Generally speaking, I think that our way of watching films has changed in the last 20 years. Our younger generation is far more open and non-judgemental about sex, intimacy and lust,” he added.His segment in ‘Lust Stories 3’ explores the sexual desires of middle-aged married women who decide to swap their husbands in an attempt to bring excitement back into their relationships.
Shakun Batra revisits themes of desire and marital relationships
Shakun Batra, who previously explored infidelity, intimacy and complicated relationships in ‘Gehraiyaan’, returns to similar territory in his segment of ‘Lust Stories 3’. This time, his story examines desire against the backdrop of a marriage that has become emotionally strained, with intimacy becoming a means for an estranged couple to communicate feelings they struggle to express directly.Addressing the uncertainty surrounding how audiences might respond to provocative stories, Batra said, “You’ll never know how people receive it unless you put something out.”The filmmaker also cited Vishal Bhardwaj’s segment in the anthology while discussing the difference between something being perceived as erotic or provocative and something being treated as art.“You’ll have to do what you think is right. In Vishal sir’s film in ‘Lust Stories 3’, he explores the idea of what makes something pornographic or erotic or literature. I like the idea of what he said – that it’s the intention of the writer that can transform something that might otherwise come across as crass into something poetic,” Batra said.
Shakun Batra says artistic intent can change how intimate subjects are perceived
Batra elaborated on the importance of an artist’s intention when dealing with explicit or uncomfortable subjects. He cited Manto as an example of a work that can address sexuality and other subjects directly while retaining a literary quality.“It’s actually so true! ‘Manto’, for example, can state something very explicitly, and it will still sound poetic and literature-like because the intention of the artist isn’t to create scandalous ideas but to truly open the minds of people,” he said.According to Batra, the fact that films portray sex, infidelity and desire should not automatically make their stories disconnected from Indian society.“It’s not like none of these things have ever happened in India,” he said.Batra acknowledged that audiences can identify with stories involving complicated relationships, even as questions of morality continue to influence how such narratives are received.“People do relate to these stories and do see themselves in it. But yes, there’s a huge weight of what’s moral, what’s right and what’s wrong. I feel like we don’t agree to revise those ideas for years. It’s like, the same thing is right and wrong forever. How can you build society on that model? It’s funny that people don’t accept greys when everyone actually only lives in the grey,” he said.
More about ‘Lust Stories 3’
‘Lust Stories 3’ is an anthology comprising four segments directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj. The film explores themes including female desire, intimacy, sexuality and complicated modern relationships.The anthology is streaming on Netflix.
