‘Cinema must entertain’

Nonika Singh

When you decide to make a film on same-sex relationship, while section 377 is still alive and tingling, you bet there is bound to be additional pressure. Shelly Chopra Dhar, whose debut film Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga is winning fulsome praise from critics and audiences alike, admits that it was indeed a challenge. 

Though she has got a reason to rejoice, “I opened a bottle of champagne when historic judgement on homosexuality came and section 377 was nixed.” But during the making, she shot many substitute scenes, worried not just about legalities but also that censor body might take issues. To her surprise, when she submitted the film to the CBFC not even a single scene was axed. 

Criticism, no problem

But one of the criticisms of her film has been that it  doesn’t really take the bull by the horns. To the naysayers, who are calling her out for portraying male character as saviour of her female protagonist, her reply is rather cryptic.  “All this criticism is stemming from textbook knowledge, not real life.” Early in her life, Shelly had imbibed the mantra, “Give me the strength to change the things that I can and the courage to accept what I can’t, and the wisdom to know the difference.” In order to drive home her rather unusual theme of lesbians, she decided to tell the story in most acceptable manner. It was indeed a conscious decision to refrain from showing physical aspect of love, “for that may have made some people uncomfortable.” 

Her intent may have been to reach out to as many as possible, but is she concerned that the film is not really doing magic at the box-office.  She replies, “What matters is that people are talking about the film, it has opened conversation on the rather ticklish subject. As for numbers, well that is producer’s business.”  Even when the producer happens to be one’s dear brother? Indeed, the world may presume that being Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s sister means she had it all served on the platter, she says, “When the producer is a relative, you have to score 200 out of 100.”

Name game 

Having made her point she, however, can’t help but gush over the brother “master of his craft” who has given us films like 1942: A Love Story. So is the film which takes its title from the song Ek Ladki Ko from his 1942: A Love story, an ode to him? Well, the title of her movie is a statement and conveys as much many of the film’s subtexts do. 

Cinema she believes is a major socialisation tool. From fashion to romance, there is much that we take home from films.” Hence, as she readies herself for the promotion of her film in the US and UK, her next venture will not be meaningless humdrum.  “Cinema must entertain,” might be her credo-line, but like brother she would always wrap her idea of a fun film in a significant message.     

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Lucky break

Having stars on board, according to Shelly, is a big plus. “When you have someone like Sonam Kapoor playing a LGBTQ character, it does give a fillip.” On the fact that she managed a casting coup of sorts with real father daughter (Anil Kapoor and Sonam) playing the same part on screen, she quips, “Oh, I just got lucky.’