Farhan Akhtar: To see world through women’s eyes is important

Set to take Priyanka-Katrina-Alia’s Jee Le Zaraa on floors next year, Farhan says telling women’s stories is “healthy” for the creative world

In August, on the 20th anniversary of Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Farhan Akhtar announced that he will return to the director’s chair with Jee Le Zaraa, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt. It is only fitting that the man who redefined friendship in Bollywood by telling the story of three guys and their shenanigans, will train his lens on the dynamics of female friendship.

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For an industry that has explored diverse genres, Bollywood has only a handful of female buddy films. Akhtar states that Jee Le Zaraa, written by Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and him, is his attempt to see the world through the gaze of women. “Whether it’s a drama, comedy or thriller, [there should be] films made about women. That balance is healthy for the creative world. Where you have the male point of view, you also have the female point of view on things. Emotionally, the construct of the two is similar [on a certain plane] yet different. To see the world through women’s eyes is important in popular culture. The more we [embrace] it, the healthier it will be for society.”

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Farhan Akhtar

Juggling his acting, music and directorial career isn’t easy. Akhtar hopes to take the road-trip movie, slated for a 2023 release, on floors next year. “The plan is to get into production in the latter part of next year. I am overjoyed at the response to the announcement. It goes to show that there is space for stories about girls going out and doing their thing.”

Shooting in the post-pandemic world will be a novel experience for the director-actor. While he is glad that the wheels of the entertainment industry are turning again, Akhtar believes the emotional repercussions of the pandemic will be understood at a later stage. “We won’t understand the effects of what we’ve been through over the last 18 months, till we get some distance from it. On the surface, we have understood what our priorities are. But the deeper psychological effect will be realised later.”

Also Read: Farhan Akhtar: Now, the film will reach new audiences

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