'15 families between Bandra and Goregaon...'—Richa Chadha calls Bollywood 'imaginary'
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal recently took the plunge into film production with their new project, Girls Will Be Girls. The film, released on Amazon Prime Video last week, has received rave reviews at Sundance and other international film festivals. In a chat with Hindustan Times, the actor-producers revealed the struggles they went through to make this project a reality and also spoke about the state of Bollywood.
Chadha's views on Bollywood and industry evolution
Chadha gave her take on Bollywood, saying, "I feel Bollywood itself is very imaginary. Fifteen families between Bandra and Goregaon think of themselves as Bollywood." "But actually, it's not a real geographical location. It's the Hindi film industry, and that keeps changing and evolving." "In a way, a big platform becoming the home of a film like this is also a sign that things are changing. And of course, yes, it helps that we are attached to it."
Fazal discussed financial hurdles and return on investment
Fazal candidly shared how difficult it was to get financial support for the film. He said, "When we were taking the film to get made, we would reach out to different people; you get a sense that everyone wants to make their money back." "It's an investment. With big films, you have your A-listers, and you know there will be something coming back. Here, you don't know the fate of the film."
'Glad we could champion a script like this'
Despite the initial hurdles, Fazal was happy they chose to stick with the project. He said, "We were finding our footing in world cinema, so we are going to have those teething issues. But I'm glad we could champion a script like this." The film is Shuchi Talati's directorial debut and follows the life of a schoolgirl balancing academics, first love, and a complicated relationship with her mother.
