Kanika Dhillon: Felt empowered to write a more risqué story

With Haseen Dillruba’s success proving that viewers embrace grey female characters, writer Kanika says she has upped the ante with the second instalment

A little over a year since Haseen Dillruba (2021) dropped online, writer-co-producer Kanika Dhillon is ready with the script of the second instalment. That she has churned out the second edition of the Taapsee Pannu-Vikrant Massey starrer quickly is not lost on her. “I have been hounded to finish the film by all stakeholders because we want to repeat the success of our film. There is pressure,” she admits.

Kanika Dhillon

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The 2021 Netflix movie revolved around Pannu’s character Rani, whose fiery idea of love is dampened after she marries the soft-spoken Rishu, essayed by Massey. What starts off as a love triangle, with Rani finding love outside marriage, soon turns into a murder mystery. The writer doesn’t reveal if the second edition will be a continuation of the last part, or a fresh story. But Dhillon is hoping that it will spark debate, as its predecessor did by exploring infidelity, lust and revenge. “Previously, I would’ve said that people are not willing to see a woman in an out-and-out negative light. But we stand corrected after the film’s viewership. It was a divided house; many critics were uncomfortable [with the film]. A piece of work that doesn’t ruffle feathers or say something new is not art. Art should evoke something — anger, happiness, or wonder — within you. I am happy people debated our film so furiously. People told me that I write characters with agency, but [they felt] Rani was not empowered. However, I believe she makes a choice, makes mistakes and suffers for them. Empowerment doesn’t mean a character has to always be right. I wanted her to be wrong. I felt empowered to write a more risqué story because of the recognition that came our way.”

Haseen Dillruba was an unabashed pulp fiction thriller. Dhillon says the next instalment — which will roll by the year-end — is a hat-tip to Hindi pulp fiction writers who have been given step-motherly treatment by Indian readers. “We don’t talk about Surender Mohan Pathak [author] the way we speak about Sidney Sheldon. When I read Pathak saab’s stories, I enjoy the insight he gives us into the heartland of the country. The character of Dinesh Pant [in the movie] is based on him.”

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