Congratulations on the slew of Filmfare Awards! Did you ever think Laapataa Ladies would have such long legs?
Thank you! Honestly, no one can ever predict the life of a film. We knew we had a story that was warm, funny, and rooted in something real — and who doesn’t wish for their film to be met with love? I’m grateful that we managed to make something that travelled this far and stayed in people’s hearts. In India, the film ran for around 100 days, and in Japan for over five months, which is truly heartening.
Like Dhobi Ghat, Laapataa Ladies too must have sounded unfilmable on paper. Why do you choose to film the seemingly impossible?
I didn’t find either impossible at all. With both films, there was a clear creative vision and a strong sense of what we wanted to achieve. Both stories came from a place of curiosity and the desire to tell something important. As long as the filmmaker knows what they’re setting out to make — and why — the rest depends on trust and teamwork. I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the teams I’ve had on both films.
Have you thought about what those characters might be up to now? Would you like to make a sequel?
Oh, I’ve been asked that — and yes, I’ve thought about it a lot! Phool, Deepak, Pushpa, Manju — they all feel very alive to me. I imagine Phool would be running a small business somewhere, Pushpa might be standing for local elections or turning into a unicorn entrepreneur, and Deepak would still be trying to catch up emotionally with these amazing women! A sequel would be fun, but only if there’s a story worth telling maybe one about how these characters have found themselves and achieved success in their own right. But for now, I’m focusing on my next project.
Looking at the kind of cinema that’s doing well, how do you explain the commercial success of Laapataa Ladies?
I think audiences are hungry for authenticity. No one can ever really pinpoint which film will work and why. You put your heart into a story and hope the audience connects with the world and the characters. I’m genuinely grateful for the love Laapataa Ladies received — and continues to receive.
What are you making next?
Just yesterday, a journalist friend called me “Halley’s Comet”! But I’ve promised not to be one. I’m developing a couple of scripts and I’m especially keen on making something in the fantastical genre next. Apart from that, I’ve been reading several projects that writers and producers have sent me. Let’s see where it goes. I’ve realized films find their own rhythm. I just want to make a story that excites me and one I have fun telling.
Also Read: Kiran Rao delighted as Hrithik Roshan calls Laapataa Ladies ‘insanely good’
The post Kiran Rao reflects on Laapataa Ladies’ global run: “We just wanted to tell a warm, funny, real story” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
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