When Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was released in 2006, there was a massive moral judgement that followed post the release of the film, about the infidelity factor, starring A-list actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta. 16 years later, Dharma has yet again attempted a first of its kind film in Indian cinema, which is helmed by Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu and Kapoor&Sons director Shakun Batra.
In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, actors Ananya Panday and Dhairya Karwa spoke about the film Gehraiyaan.
Talking about the inevitable comparison between KANK and Gehraiyaan, Ananya told Asian Voice, “I think the premise is the same, the storytelling and the experience are going to be different. I mean, that's for the audience's to really judge for themselves. How do they differentiate the two firms? I honestly didn't feel that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was ahead of time because infidelity is a problem that's existed for so long, maybe now, we're more open to the conversation about it.
“And I think with Gehraiyaan, there is no glorification of infidelity. We're not passing a judgement on whether it's morally right or morally wrong. You know, the lens that Shakun has chosen to view this film with it has been very observational, and it's modern relationship drama.
“Infidelity is a part of the film, but it's not the whole film, there's a lot more when you watch the film there are many more dynamics. There's a lot more complexity when you watch the film, and you’ll get that it is kind of not about finding your soulmate after marriage. That's not the kind of story that Gehraiyaan is.
“So maybe in that way, it is a little different from the films made before. But having said that, I think you I think the audience has evolved so much. Now when people go back and view films, like Silsila, now they're like, ‘oh, why did we think this was ahead of its time?’.”
The film is releasing on Amazon Prime Video on 11 February. When asked if it was always supposed to be an OTT release, Ananya said, “I don't think it was in his mind that it was going to go to OTT at that time. It just so happened that this is a circumstance, but I think we all kind of agree that it's the best thing that could have happened to the spin in that way.”
“The story was never altered. Considering the platform. it was just so circumstantial, really. It’s great that people can view it from the comfort of their homes, feeling safe and secure,” Dhairya Karwa added, who plays Deepika Padukone’s long-distance boyfriend in the movie.
Gauging the success of a film in these times is now a difficult task for both audiences and the makers. Commenting on that, Ananya told us, “Shakun had recently said that the measure for success for this film for him will be many years later, will people still go back and relate to this kind of film, where he gave the example of Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan. These are timeless films. When it comes to film success, I don't feel like anything can replace the cinema experience. I feel like both things can coexist now.”
The film has been supported by intimacy director/coordinator, Dar Gai who has directed the intimate scenes, a first of its kind experience for Indian cinema. Sharing his experience, Dhairya told the newsweekly, “Having an intimacy coordinator is as normal as having an action director, or a choreographer onset, it is just that we see it rarely. It’s like we're borrowing that trend from the west, which is when it's normal, right. The whole point of having an intimacy coordinator on a story like this, or any set is to create a safe and secure environment for the artists to showcase their vulnerabilities, know their limits and where to draw the line and just be comfortable, really. intimacy is just part of the story theory. It's not this whole story.”
Ananya further added, “We needed intimacy workshops, to just generally build trust also between one another, to just set boundaries in terms of how far we can go in certain scenes and situations. And it also taught us a lot about ourselves.”
