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EXCLUSIVE: Ekta Kapoor on Veere Di Wedding- We are NOT asking for anyone's permission to make a movie on women
Ekta Kapoor, the co-producer for Veere Di Wedding, spoke at length on the film, questioning the hypocrisy over "women-centric film" and which character from the movie does she resonate with the most.
Ekta Kapoor has broken the glass ceiling like no one else. The Boss lady never shies away from speaking her mind and that is perhaps what sets her apart. There is no terrain she hasn't explored, from TV to movies to the web, Ekta is everywhere and is continually evolving.
Ekta who has co-produced Veere Di Wedding has been vocal that she is extremely proud of the movie which stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania. But what she hasn't told you is that with this film she wants the coming generation to know that it is okay to not have a perfect fairytale life.
A visibly happy Ekta met us at her office in Mumbai for a quick chat and spoke at length on the film, questioning the hypocrisy over "women-centric film" and which character from the movie does she resonate with the most.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
#IAmNotAChicFlick- Your promotions have made it clear that VDW is a movie by women, starring women, for EVERYONE! What was your call to come onboard for the movie?
It is an all women cast made for everyone. Veere started with this idea that, most of the stories we have been telling is to men and it is not that I have lost interest in hearing male stories, I am still interested but we have never told stories about women and there is so much unexplored storytelling left there and there is a whole world out interested in it. That's why stories about women are far more interesting because their stories haven't been told
But there is a larger section of society out there saying why do you have to show women smoking and drinking. How do you respond to such comments?
Very simple that they are trying to put a woman in a box. It is again the same thing. You are again coming up with rules and regulations to become a "good woman." One: We are not asking for anyone's permission to make a movie on women, we will make it if we want to. Second, we hear, 'Okay we understand you want to make a movie on women but why show them drinking and smoking?' and I am like ahhhh because we want to. There are people who say 'agar feminist ki picture banana hai toh banao na Magar achiever ho' which means that women who are non-achievers don't deserve respect? It means that you showing bad boys since decades is acceptable, since time immortal you have promoted men drinking, smoking and used it as a sign of machoism. You have shown big actors who have woken out of bed with 20 women to show their Casanova image and today if we are doing a film on women and their lifestyle, you are so uncomfortable. You are very okay seeing a woman who is achieving a gold medal, telling people this is how a woman should be. So basically, she should either be on a pedestal or a slut. You are again not letting her BE. It is again 'devi-sm.'
You mentioned in your tweet that it is okay to be just BE and that is what the film explores...
We can't just BE. It is eventually coming down to that. I mean people are not being able to put me in a box anymore. I make a Test Case, I make a Bose, I make a Veere, I make a Naagin, I make a Kyunki. Are you regressive or progressive? So when they can't put me in a box, they call me money-hungry. They just can't take it. They can't just take it that you support all ideologies and have the ability to accept different taste.
But do you worry about the box office figures.. do you feel the pressure to deliver a hit?
That's a lot of pressure but not so much with films. In films, I usually work out the figure. If it is like a Veere, we have almost recovered most of it. We only have to cover some on P&A from the theatrical. So, we know we can do this story, even if a small community watches it, we know it will be a hit. But on TV, this baggage I have carried na, it gets to me sometimes. I can't always be a hit because then I start planning hits which then doesn't happen.
However, is there a box office figure you are intending to hit?
I met Karan [Johar] a few days ago for Raazi and I was like he made a great film and he was very happy with the film. He told me whatever the numbers, he is really happy. That's when you really deserve and deliver a hit. And this is the moment I swear I am super happy.
What do you think people will take away from the movie?
That you can just be BE. The story has a voice of a mother and she just tells that we sell fairytales to our children and these fairytales are what most of us have been told that we will get our prince charming one day. That is like the ultimate dream for any girl. They never show what happens after the fairytale. "You are fat, you have issues, you wake up in the morning and realise that you lost weight but you cannot follow diet anymore, you get married and you have like a great marriage but you walk away because it doesn't work out for you" So sometimes things work, sometimes it doesn't but you make peace and move on. If life throws lemons, you call your friends with vodka and tequila.
Kalindi, Meera, Sakshi and Avni.. which character do you resonate the most with?
A lot of people will resonate with Kalindi (played by Kareena). Avni (played by Sonam) will relate to a lot of people especially the unmarried girl who is now desperate to get married because there is so much parental pressure. Kalindi is getting married but she hasn't had the best family life so then she gets a family suddenly and she doesn't know how to deal with it. And Swara [played Sakshi] is the one I identify with the most. That character is a lot like me. She has got temper issues, her marriage has not worked out for the best and she has these aunties constantly asking where is her husband. They are dying to know what is happening in her marriage. So I want people to know that this movie is made so that a whole generation post doesn't have to sit and cry if their life doesn't work out. No one's life works out.
Hoor duss Kitniyan Tareefan chahida hai tennu..has been playing on loop... what was your reaction watching it for the first time?
I saw it here and I called up Rhea [Kapoor] who was busy hyperventilating somewhere then I called Farah [Khan] after seven years and I was like, 'I just saw the song, you are a genius.'
PS: Veere Di Wedding has collected over Rs 36 crores in its opening weekend.
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