Laapataa Ladies Director Kiran Rao Calls for More Films on Women: 'No One Wants a Lecture...'

Director Kiran Rao is basking in the celebration of her film Laapataa Ladies being selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, she highlighted how the decision to cast an entirely fresh ensemble worked in the film’s favour, enabling audiences to “fully immerse themselves in the world of the film.”

During her session titled “Take II: How Women are Redefining Indian Cinema,” Kiran shared her inspiration for directing Laapataa Ladies. “The story spoke to me. It’s about two girls searching for freedom, opportunity, and a voice,” she explained. Kiran emphasised the importance of telling women’s stories, stating, “I feel that we need more films on women. It’s exceedingly important that we invest much more in women storytellers, producers, actors, and projects helmed by women. I’ll continue to want to tell stories revolving around interesting female characters.”

Kiran elaborated on the creative choices that shaped the film’s unique appeal, particularly the casting of newcomers. “We felt that keeping the story rooted and organic would make it far more believable and enjoyable. That’s one of the key reasons the audience responded so well to it,” she noted.

“With a completely fresh cast, people didn’t recognise the actors, allowing them to forget and fully immerse themselves in the world of the film. That worked in our favour,” she added.

The director also discussed the importance of humour in conveying the everyday struggles women face. “We wanted to integrate these issues into the story through humour because no one wants a lecture when they go to the cinema. I genuinely believe humor is one of the best ways to tackle some of the most uncomfortable issues,” she remarked. The film’s premise—a comedic mix-up of two brides at a railway station—provides a natural backdrop for humour.

Laapataa Ladies, featuring Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, and Sparsh Shrivastava, is set in rural India and tells the story of two brides who inadvertently get exchanged at a railway station. Produced by acclaimed actor and director Aamir Khan, the film promises to blend comedy with poignant storytelling, marking a significant step in women’s representation in Indian cinema.