Magar pyar se

Pic/Instagram

Shilpa Shetty Kundra's upcoming drama, Sukhee, isn't her first release in the last few years; however, it is a special one when pitted against the others. "It's a film that releases in theatres," she says, articulating a sentiment that has been shared by film folk accustomed to watching their names roll out on the big screen, before the lockdown changed the dynamics of the film industry.

"It is a happy time for audiences and producers because cinematic [releases] have resumed," says the actor, set to portray the challenges of an Indian homemaker in the Sonal Joshi-directed film.

"This film is an ode to all women in India. We are brought up [to believe] that family takes up the primary space in our lives. I come from a middle-class family, but my mother always said that it is important to balance family life, with work. I had to excel professionally, but she wanted me to be a sharp homemaker as well. There is no responsibility [laid on the shoulders of] men. Sure, they are the primary breadwinners, but working women are always questioned about balancing responsibilities, something that men are not."

Progressive though we may believe our society has become, comments shared by social media users often reveal that a patriarchal mindset is still prevalent in India. Shetty agrees that showcasing a film that questions the responsibility of men would need to be done tactfully. "Sukhee made me think of a lovely line - when you want to address a serious subject, you should use humour. It is with love that we raise this serious question - [why can ] women be [free-spirited] only until they get married?"

Shetty understands the importance of using cinema to put the spotlight on the struggles of women. After all, at the time when she fronted Bollywood films, only rarely were narratives told from a woman's point of view. Shetty, however, looks back at her time spent in the industry with appreciation. "I have had my own journey. For someone like me, who comes from the '90s, change has been the only constant. I am happy to still be relevant. I have done films of every kind. I was perceived as someone who was glamorous. It was perceived that glamour and dance were my strengths, and I was told to play them up. I am not apologetic, because that's how I carved my niche. I have stayed [relevant] till today only because cinema allowed me to grow."