Kiran Rao’s next, Laapataa Ladies, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Filmmaker Kiran Rao recently addressed the issue of Bollywood films that romanticise stalking as a means of pursuing a woman.
Filmmaker Kiran Rao recently addressed the issue of Bollywood films that romanticise stalking as a means of pursuing a woman. According to a report from The Times of India, Kiran mentioned films like Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Kabir Singh and SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali to make her point.
According to The Times of India, Kiran discussed the glorification of stalking in Bollywood films as a means of wooing women. She spoke of the film Kabir Singh, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani. That apart, Kiran also cited SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali as another example to emphasise her perspective. “Another very big film, which I find fascinating, was Baahubali 1 (Baahubali: The Beginning). It started off with this exciting fight sequence, where this woman is leaping from tree to tree, and she is a warrior. But the hero delicately strips her of her agency and makes her just a fantastic romantic interest. I find it fascinating. It is (one of) the biggest films of Indian cinema,” she said as quoted by the entertainment portal.
In a previous interview with Film Companion, the director had spoken of her concerns about the success of some recent films with what she described as ‘regressive’ messaging at the box office. She mentioned that such examples are disheartening for her and said she hopes that major films will prioritise breaking stereotypes and promoting positive messaging in society.
Only recently, Kiran premiered her latest film, Laapataa Ladies, at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Taking place in rural India in 2001, the film unfolds the chaos that unfolds when two young brides disappear from a train. The film features a talented ensemble cast, including Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan in important roles.
The film is produced under Kiran’s former husband Aamir Khan’s banner Aamir Khan Production and her own venture Kindling Productions.
