Swara, Shikha feel 'Veere...' portrays changing image of women

From talking about their desire for sex, to using cuss words to express the frustration of their troublesome lives -- "Veere Di Wedding" captures various facets of the lives of four urban working girls, and it seems to break the stereotypical image of an ideal Indian daughter.

Actresses Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania, who play two of the four friends along with Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Kareena Kapoor Khan, believe that perhaphs the film will help girls unveil their other side to their parents.

When the film's trailer came out, orthodox minds took offence on how the women were being projected on-screen -- smoking, drinking and abusing.

Considering how the Indian audience looks for aspirational characters in Bollywood films, will parents of middle-class families be able to deal with this image of young women?

Swara told IANS: "I personally do not believe in the culture of silence that is so embedded in our middle-class morality. I do not believe that not telling your parents about what is happening in your personal life is a sign of respect. I think in my family, love and trust is the only thing that matters.

"So if I am going through something tough, my parents are the first people to know that. But I understand that talking about awkward things are 'big no' in the middle-class family. But I think the parents also should know that this is also one side of their daughter, especially if she is a working girl living in an urban city and leading a lifestyle of such. And they should love their daughter the way they are."

Shikha, who is making her film debut with the movie, said: "Even I come from a middle-class family but my equation with my parents might be different from others. The fact is that we are receiving information through films, books, and social media... All of this is giving us awareness. But it is upon us how we interpret it.

"I think watching such an image of a girl on-screen, two kinds of things can happen -- either it will break the barrier, where parents will get to know the side of their daughter that they otherwise do not discuss with each other, or they will watch it as slice of life, because they know that that is how their daughters are... It is right in both ways."

While Swara plays a girl named Sakshi who is on verge of getting divorced in the film, Shikha essays Meera who is living a loveless marriage in the movie, directed by Shashanka Ghosh.

Citing an example from her real life, Swara said: "After the trailer released, one of the elderly gentlemen said that when he asked his daughter if she behaves and talks like that (shown in the film), she replied to him, 'Yes dad, I do that... When you are not around'.

"I think that is the reality, we do not drink or smoke together with our parents in a middle-class family, but we all do in our own space. That is how our mind is conditioned."

The film is releasing on Friday.

--IANS

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