‘It’s a cautionary tale’

One of Leila’s three directors, Deepa Mehta says there is much that is real in her show’s surreal dystopia

Q What encouraged you to tell the story of Leila?

I loved the book. When Netflix approached me for this, I felt that this was a story about women, identity, gender, a totalitarian government. It’s a cautionary tale, reflective of our current world, even though it’s set in a surreal space. After all these years, to balance the two was a huge learning curve for me.

Q Dystopian dramas are an unexplored space within Indian cinema. As a filmmaker, how did you navigate this space?

Spanish director Luis Buñuel once said that the minute we are particular about the world around us is the minute we become universal. I’ve taken that mantra. His films are surreal, but deeply rooted in Spain. Similarly, the characters in Leila are speaking Hindi but it is a universal story. What’s happening in India, in Trump’s America, in France, is all the same. Everyone’s fighting oppression one way or another. Leila manifests it in a fictional world, that is obviously real.

Q What were the challenges to make Leila believable?

There’s nothing unbelievable about the people’s fight is that portrayed in Leila. It’s one we are fighting every day. Yes, it’s an exaggerated world where water is purchased via an ATM, or we see black rain because of pollution. It’s a warning bell for a future we are heading towards, and that was a challenge to establish.

Q You had to fight for the release of Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Water (2005). Is it new to have things going smoothly for Leila?

Yes, it’s a relief. Censorship is not such a big issue in the digital space and you don’t have to be constantly worried about offending someone. Though I always did exactly what I wanted in my films, it’s a relief that there is a space where filmmakers can be honest and tell their stories without fear or inhibition.

The characters in Leila speak in Hindi, but it is a universal story of oppression