Kiara Advani: Such on-screen depiction of marriages is rare

Kiara Advani

Halfway into the year, Kiara Advani already has a blockbuster under her belt in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Celebrations are in order, but at the moment, she is neck-deep in promotions for Juggjugg Jeeyo . The Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Varun Dhawan-starrer is special to Advani for a simple reason. "It has its heart in the right place," she says. "Raj Mehta [director] has made a sensitive and entertaining movie. This is my second film with him [after Good Newwz], and he is a fine director who [has a command over] family stories and emotions."

A still from JugJugg Jeeyo

Through the arc of two couples at different stages of marriage, the film discusses the complexities of relationships, how people grow apart, and divorce. "We had to develop back-stories of our characters to bring depth to our performances. We jammed together to add things that weren't on paper. In most cases, [relationships] fall apart due to lack of communication, and ego. The fights and turmoil had to be personal. We didn't want to make it about right and wrong; instead, we wanted to show both perspectives. The film might appear to be a masala fare, but we have added gravitas to it. I am particularly proud of a sequence where Varun and my character get into a fight because she supports his mother [Neetu's character]. It captures how falling out of love, and the desire to make a marriage work aren't co-related."

Besides being impressed by the film's honest gaze at today's marriages, Advani says her character was a big draw. "She is a strong, independent woman who has her own ambitions. She wants to create a marriage of equal partnership. Such on-screen depiction of marriages is rare." While JugJugg Jeeyo is barely a week away from release, her last offering Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is still running strong. The horror comedy has breached the Rs 175-crore mark to become the highest Bollywood earner of 2022 so far, at a time when Hindi films are floundering at the box office.

Advani takes a minute to soak in the numbers, before saying, "It's a film that has given hope to the industry. [It shows that] a good entertainer still has the power to attract the audience. I am fortunate that my first release after the pandemic did this well. As an actor, there's nothing more delightful than to deliver movies that bring back the community-viewing experience."

But it is often noticed that a film's success is attributed mainly to the leading man. Thankfully, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has been an exception, with its leads Kartik Aaryan, Tabu and Advani being jointly credited for its runaway success. The change, though in its early stage, is significant. "The notion is changing with more female actors taking centre-stage, and with more female journalists on the field, observing this and pushing for the change. There is still a long way to go, but the shift is perceivable. But in the case of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the success primarily belongs to the producers and the director [Anees Bazmee] who showed faith and patience for three years [of the pandemic]. A lot of films [took] the OTT route, but our producers held on."

Also Read: Neetu Kapoor gets emotional at 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo' trailer launch: I wish Chintuji was here