'Wish nepotism had helped me': Director-writer Tahira Kashyap Khurrana
Writer-director Tahira Kashyap Khurrana has made her directorial debut with the feature film, Sharmajee Ki Beti. The film, a narrative about five women in Mumbai, stars Sakshi Tanwar, Divya Dutta, and Saiyami Kher. The movie is set to stream on Amazon Prime Video from June 28. In an interview with Mid-Day, the director spoke about the challenges of spearheading a female-led film.
Khurrana's journey and challenges in the film industry
Khurrana faced numerous challenges during her journey in the film industry. She addressed accusations of nepotism, stating, "People are saying that I could be deemed a product of nepotism because I'm a star wife (Ayushmann Khurrana's wife)." "I wish it had helped me; the film would've been made seven years ago. But here, men played allies. My producers were so invested in telling this story."
Khurrana's vision for authentic storytelling
Khurrana was committed to telling a story based on her observations, even if it didn't align with mainstream Hindi films. She stated, "I didn't succumb to temptations of casting an A-lister, or adding a love story." "I wanted a credible cast. Typically, actors listen to the narration, give a snooty look, discuss numbers and vanish." "Divya and Sakshi heard the narration and immediately said yes. Saiyami was doing another similar film, but narration after narration, she loved it."
Khurrana's desire to broaden representation in cinema
Khurrana expressed her desire to broaden the representation of women in cinema. She explained, "Women from 20 to 28 are all that is represented on screen. I wanted women below 20 and above 30 to be heard as well." Speaking about her husband's role in her journey, she said, "At home, there is a lot of discussion about movies, but then we go our own ways. There is mutual respect for each other's choices, and there is no infringement."
