Tackling taboo subjects
Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar speak about the poor depiction of love and lust in Indian cinema
Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, who is awaiting the release of Lust Stories, says lust has been depicted both poorly and beautifully in the films. After 2013 film Bombay Talkies on 100 years of Indian cinema, Lust Stories brings together four filmmakers — Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee who are making an anthology film for Netflix on themes of love and lust.
“One of the main reasons why our audience goes to cinema houses is escapism, fantasy, aspiration and to hope for something they don’t have. Love is still a taboo in our culture sadly. We don’t have that many love marriages happening, your parents decide who you spend your life with. We are not allowed to date. In terms of lust, some people have depicted beautifully and some people are just crass. It has been in our films. People are now being more open,” Zoya said at the trailer launch of Lust Stories.
Sharing similar views, Karan Johar believes that lust has been misused. “One has not shown lust sensitively. Both love and lust and co-exist. But many times it has had bad influence on society. And we are responsible bunch of filmmakers. We have used it in right way. Lust cannot always be gauged by negativity, it is a bona-fide emotion.”
Karan says his film is about seeking pleasure and it is also about the right of women for pleasure. Dibakar’s film is about infidelity. Lust Stories features Radhika Apte, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Sanjay Kapoor and Kiara Advani.