New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) "Dhadak 2" director Shazia Iqbal says her formative memories are shaped by films like "Deshpremi" and "Krantiveer" where Amitabh Bachchan's character sings about communal harmony
and Nana Patekar dramatically points out about there being no difference in the blood of a Hindu and Muslim.
When she made her feature debut with critically-acclaimed "Dhadak 2", a film that talks about caste discrimination, Iqbal said she wanted to tell a story that carried the same spirit, be it the commercial movies that spoke about unity or the works of Shyam Benegal, Saeed Mirza and Hollywood directors Spike Lee and Jordan Peele.
"You reciprocate to things you have grown up with and it does not matter if things have become superficial in the last 15 years... When I got the opportunity to make a film, I wanted to take a certain path. I wanted to use the grammar of mainstream cinema to say something important," the director told PTI.
Iqbal has received a lot of praise for exploring the layers of caste discrimination and how it has seeped in every aspect of our lives through the friendship and love story of two law students, played by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tripti Dimri. "Dhadak 2" is currently streaming on Netflix after completing its theatrical run in August.
"In the 90s, there were films like 'Deshpremi', 'Karma' and 'Krantiveer'. When Nana Patekar gives his monologue, it hits you as a child... You are moved by Amitabh Bachchan singing about communal harmony. Society may show division, but these films have such an impact on you as a child," Iqbal said.
"I am influenced by filmmakers and directors who have used film as a medium to challenge the status quo. Shyam Benegal, Saeed Mirza and Hollywood directors like Spike Lee and Jordan Peele... They use different genres to say things that disturbs them."
An adaptation of Mari Sevaraj's Tamil film "Pariyerum Perumal, "Dhadak 2" sets the story in the Hindi region and updates many of the details like giving more agency to the woman in the story.
Iqbal, who studied architecture but turned to cinema to pursue her storytelling dreams, became known for her 2019 critically-acclaimed short "Bebaak".
The filmmaker said she was initially approached as director on hire but later she also got involved in the writing with Rahul Badwelkar. Dharma's Somen Mishra had seen her short film and shared it with Karan Johar and they both loved it.
"Karan said somebody with a more sensitive gaze and lens would be able to be the right person to remake the film because he was very sure that they wanted to tackle and talk about the identity issue and not shy away from it.
Iqbal said when Mishra sent her the lin for the Tamil movie, she felt the movie had something important to say but at the same time, she felt it needed to have her voice and that's how Dimri's character came to have more power.
"I couldn't see myself in the film. If I had to adapt frame by frame, maybe I wouldn't have said yes. But I saw the opportunity and that's why I said yes to it and that is why this film."
Iqbal said from the way the actors look to what they wear and where they live, everything was authentically captured to keep the film rooted to everyday reality.
"If Siddhant's character can afford a shirt worth Rs 100, we have made him wear a shirt worth Rs 100. Since the character lives in a slum, we shot it in a slum in Bheemnagar in Bhopal. The slum in the movie is not a set."
Iqbal said she is a private person in real life but all the love coming her way for the movie is exciting and has inspired her to explore more such topics in her future projects. PTI BK BK
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