‘Challenges are very tough, but I don’t enjoy an easy journey’
Ekta Kapoor talks about her upcoming web series The Married Woman, highlighting the choices a woman makes
The Queen of Content is back at it. Her upcoming web series depicts the choices women make in their lifetime. The Married Woman, based on a novel by Manju Kapur, is a story about two souls who fall in love with each other, rising beyond sexual and societal boundaries. Ekta had read the book way back in 2018 and waited for the right platform to tell it on.
Answering a volley of queries, Ekta touched upon all issues around the series, including telling stories from woman’s point of view, narrating the story from 1992, when two souls fall in love, censorship, and her mantra of love.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q
I just want to tell stories. I remember reading this book when I was in Delhi for The Dirty Picture. I had bought the rights of Manju Kapur’s novel, Custody, and she’d asked me if I’ll change the story for TV. I’d said yes because we go into people’s homes. But I also told her that for The Married Woman, I will buy the rights and make it only when I will be able to make it without changing its essence. Now I know I have a platform, and I’m happy to do this.
Q
The advantage of a web platform is that I cater to everyone and I get a chance to tell stories I could never tell on television. I have no problem catering to the masses. I really make aspirational, escapist programming for people who want to enjoy themselves. At times, I make relatable heart-warming and touching stories. But with a TV show that goes on for
20 years, sometimes with 5,000 or
2,000 episodes in them, at one point, you get tired. Films, too, are actorled. But this platform I enjoy telling stories on because the language in the show is very different, which is the intent. But I will wait to see how people take it.
What drew your interest to the book The Married Woman? How do you manage to get varied stories? Q
Is it a conscious decision for you to tell stories from a woman’s point of view?
Yes, it is a conscious decision to tell stories of women in our country and other countries of the world. Women’s sexuality is considered a sin, which is a big problem. I’ve been
‘I have always liked to do tough things — I like to tread into tough battles. While it’s tough, it’s fun to do something that you feel finds space in your journey and makes a landmark.’
told many times that I’m a big part of that journey by showing a woman in sari and showing them wearing sindoor (vermilion). People feel I have told stories of conservative women who have household issues — that I have somehow stranded the growth of women in this country. I don’t agree with this because I believe what a woman chooses to wear, be it a sari or swimsuit, is ultimately her choice.
Through my web series, talk about women who have other issues. While I have no regrets for stories I have told on TV, this (shift) is intentional. Every woman in different stages of life has choices — it’s their choice, and they don’t become good or bad by any of those choices they make.
Q
Have you ever been judged?
I
I’ve never enjoyed a pedestal because people put you on a pedestal only to see you trip down. I’ve never let acclaim/award/reward get too much to me. Nor have I let people’s opinion bother me. I don’t care. Everyone has their own way and you should live your life according
to your own terms.
Q
Is it tough to retell a book through the reel? Did you enjoy your experience of bringing The Married Woman on the reel?
If you directly go in for an adaptation, it becomes very tough. But there are some books that lend themselves onto a screenplay, and this was one of them. We could have not made it unless we are true to its essence, but we took that essence and made a story. I am happy and want to tell this out for all the women. Love is a choice, life style is a choice and I hope people see it. And see the intent behind it. I believe this book had to be made.
Q
How do you look at challenges and take them forward?
My honest answer is that challenges are very tough. But I don’t enjoy an easy journey and have always liked to do tough things — I like to tread into tough battles. While it’s tough, it’s fun to do something that you feel finds space in your journey and makes a landmark.
AltBalaji for me is a landmark. If it does what it has planned to do in the next ten years, I will consider it a big achievement. We should have Indian Apps. Why shouldn’t we have home grown apps? We make content and we have been story tellers for more than a thousand years. We can tell stories — maybe we don’t have the budget — but we will
tell stories.
‘The advantage of a web platform is that I cater to everyone and I get a chance to tell stories I could never tell on television. A TV show that goes on for 20 years, sometimes with 5,000 or 2,000 episodes in them, at one point, you get tired. Films, too, are actor-led.
But this platform is
very different.’
‘I’VE NEVER ENJOYED A PEDESTAL BECAUSE PEOPLE PUT YOU
ON A PEDESTAL ONLY TO SEE YOU TRIP DOWN. I’VE NEVER LET ACCLAIM/AWARD/ REWARD GET TOO MUCH TO ME. NOR
HAVE I LET PEOPLE’S OPINION BOTHER ME. I DON’T CARE.’
What’s the fun in makeup without getting a little quirk or adding a little drama? Remember the neon eyes and multi-coloured makeup that brightened up the summer of 2020? We’d also taken note of the chunky glitter along the bridge of the nose, and the floating eyeliner — extending a cat-eye with a liquid liner and then adding another line to connect the two at the outside corner.
The makeup trend catching on this year is quite literally out of the world. We’re talking about the galaxy-makeup. And we’ve got experts to give us a little more about it.
“Galaxy makeup, as the name suggests, is about creating a space and constellations look using the vibrant hues like purple, blue, black and white across your face,” begins Aishwarya Bendre, Managing Director, Auric Beauty Products Private Limited. “This trend is focused more on the artistic aspect, where creating drama with the right blend of the shades is crucial to achieve the look.”
Aishwarya also tells us how finesse plays a key role in getting this trend right. “Galaxy makeup is quite a tricky look to create as there is no easy way to achieve it,” she cautions, adding that the key is to blend and to get the right shade of the Cosmo (space). “Apart from that, your artistic skills come handy when it comes to drawing the stars and constellations.”
WHAT’S NOT TO TRY?
Despite how the makeup trend is catching on, Sama Patkar, head of marketing, Sublime Life, points out that the Internet might want makeup enthusiasts to believe that because of its unique nature, attempting this makeup trend is something they must away from.
“But that is not the case,” she assures us. Then sharing tips on how to get the look right, Sama adds, “All you need to do is dabble on some blue and purple eyeshadow on the area from your left cheekbones and nose to the right cheekbone. A brightly cosmic purple eyeshadow should do the magic. Follow it up by coating it with
steer some shimmer (completely optional). As your eyes aren’t coated with eyeliner, adding mascara will make your lashes voluminous, and your eyes will pop, thus further enhancing your look.”
Then, Sama points to what she calls the most extraordinary part of the makeup. “Just stick on some pre-glued rhinestones on random spots and join these with either liquid glitter or white eyeliner and you’re ready for a flight scheduled for Mars!” she says.
Makeup newbies can always play around the trend by getting started with the right blend of shades. While practise makes perfect, a few right steps will make a world of difference.
Aishwarya adds more tips to get the look right. “Keep your ideation ready and lay out your basic drawing first before starting it on your face. Remember to always draw your pattern with either a white colour or light black colour before you use heavy colours. Always use fewer colours and build it, as needed, so mistakes can be easily cleaned up,” she says, cautioning one to not overdo as excited as they might be about using too many objects from the galaxy. “Have a theme in mind whether its stars and moon or just stars and planets or simple constellations.”