Saroj Ka Rishta director on setting film in Ghaziabad: ‘Can’t gain weight by eating vada pav, poha’

Body shaming and body image issues are very much prevalent in India where people, especially women, are judged on the basis of their bodies and complexion. Abhishek Saxena, director of Phullu which talked about menstrual hygiene, is now back with his new film finding love without caring about one’s size. Titled Saroj Ka Rishta, the film marks the comeback of Shaandaar actor Sanah Kapur and also stars her real life mother, Supriya Pathak. Also read: Interview: Sanah Kapur says its ‘much easier’ to work with mom Supriya Pathak than dad Pankaj Kapur

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Abhishek Saxena told us more about Saroj Ka Rishta and how it addresses body image issues. He also looked confident about releasing the film in theatres amid testing times which have seen many big budget films fall with a thud at the box office. Excerpts:

Tell us more about Saroj Ka Rishta.

The film says that one should love a person the way they are, there is no meaning in loving a changed person. Saroj is trying to do something like this but later realises that she doesn’t need to change herself for someone else to love her. We try to change the person we love without thinking about what they actually want. Losing weight for health reasons is fine; but doing it just because what others think about you is not right.

Why have you based the film in Ghaziabad?

It has own colour, its lanes, an atmosphere. How much weight would someone gain by eating just vada pav and poha! There is no fun without samosas and chhole bhature.

Your last film Phullu had a man making low-cost pads for menstruating women. Why have you chosen body image issues as the subject for your new film?

I myself face body shaming. Despite being fat, I have that much energy that I can work continuously for 18 hours, more than a fit and fine person can. Everyone has a different body type. Some get fat even if they eat very little, some remain thin even if they eat a lot. How does it affect you if I am fat? What matters is how I behave with you. Our society is more interested in peeking into the house of their neighbours. Till when we will discriminate over colour, health, body?

Did Sanah Kapur not mind playing an overweight girl?

No. I have also tried to promote a father who doesn’t care about what the world is saying, he is only concerned about the happiness of his daughter. They think that a girl should be educated enough to take care of herself and suitors should come to her instead of her trying to look for suitors. This is the message of our film.

Sometimes parents also start listening to what neighbours have to say about their children. These days, not many people are willing to get married. It happens a lot in North India that a woman goes to a kirtan and there are other women expressing concern about how her daughter is not yet married. Why does it matter to you?

What is your best memory of shooting for the film?

Whenever we would shoot, the day would start with samosas and end with samosas. There is something or the other eatable in almost every scene. So, we made a halwai sit throughout the day and prepare samosas. Few days ago, Sanah told me that she was really missing samosas.

What do you expect from the film’s release in theatres when even big films are crashing?

We have done our job, now it’s in the hands of the audience and critics. Its not like the films aren’t working, maybe we are not showing what the audience wants. Because South films are working in theatres. Even those living in Delhi and Mumbai are watching films from the South. Then why Bollywood films aren’t working? After Covid pandemic, people only want to have fun in theatres, eat popcorn and return home. They don’t want gyaan. In our film, there is no on-the-face body shaming, it’s a normal love story of an overweight girl. No one is body shaming her, she herself wants to get slim and fails to do so.