A subject’s difficulty makes me work better: Meghna
Back in 2016, when Meghna Gulzar first met Laxmi Agarwal [an acid attack survivor], the director found her “far more introverted and closed as a person” than what she is today. “She was nowhere in the limelight,” says the filmmaker. Now, of course, Laxmi is an undaunted picture of strength and resilience. And the inspiration behind Meghna’s next, Chhapaak, starring Deepika Padukone in the lead role.
“I literally searched for her. At that time, I was looking for subjects after Talvar (2015). So, when I came across a few such incidents [of acid attack], it got stuck in my head that this is happening and there’s a world of these girls, who’ve been attacked by acid. And we don’t know much about them. More than knowing, it’s to understand why it happens and how it can be prevented. Actually, in a way, it is life worse than death,” she says.
Interestingly, when Meghna and her co-writer were working on the film’s script about three years back, they had “secret thoughts” about having Deepika on board. “But we’d never say it aloud. It seemed implausible that she’d do such a film,” says the filmmaker, adding that when she looked at Laxmi’s pictures before the attack, she saw “an uncanny similarity between her and Deepika.”
She explains: “When I finally met and told Deepika that ‘this is the story, subject and issue,’ she spontaneously said okay to it, at that very moment. She, though, said that she really wanted to do something light after threeback-to-back intense films.”
After delivering back-toback hits such as Talvar and Raazi (2018), as Meghna readies for Chhapaak, does she feel any pressure? “Honestly, it’d be stupid and dishonest to say that it doesn’t affect you. But would I prefer if people didn’t have expectations? No. And would I want people or trade to expect a good film out of me? Yes, and I’d work for that. My core intent is to just tell a story, and share what I have learnt all this while with the audience, with as much honesty as possible. No one sets out to make a failure. At best, you can endeavour that it’s a financially viable project. But the cost of a film shouldn’t be its burden,” the filmmaker shares.
Another hallmark of Meghna’s career has been her penchant for taking up challenging subjects. “I think the difficulty of a subject makes me work better and also brings out my craft better,” she smiles.
Or it could be all due to Meghna’s genes, being the daughter of filmmaker-poet Gulzar and actor Rakhee. What has been her father’s biggest influence on her? “I’m exactly aware of what his influences have been – it’s simplicity and brevity. Kam mein badi baat keh jaao. These are a few principles I’ve consciously tried to include in my skill set,” she adds.