Director Sooraj Barjatya has directed some of the biggest romantic and family dramas in Bollywood. He last directed the Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor starrer ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ in 2015, before starting work on the TV series and buddy adventure film ‘Unchai’.
In his latest interview, the director and producer shared his thoughts on making films for a new audience.
Sooraj Barjatya talks about the portrayal of women on screen
Speaking about how storytelling has grown, Barjatya said in an interview with Hindustan Times that stories centered around women being confined to domestic duties no longer reflect today’s reality. Opening up about the changing role of women in society, he said that today’s audience might not connect with a film like his 1994 hit “Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!”
Because society and women’s roles have evolved significantly since then.
He believes that cinema now needs to present women in stronger and more independent roles that suit the modern era.
The changing role of women in cinema
“Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” director, known for making films based on traditional family values, said many of his films in the 1990s showed women mainly as housewives.He highlighted how times have changed and how today’s women have become more career-focused and independent, and said that this shift is also evident in modern films, where female characters are written with more depth, ambition and individuality compared to previous decades.
The director explained, “In terms of stories, it’s over, agar main aaj bhi sochoon ki ghar pe baithengi (If I think women will sit at home), you can’t do ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ where everyone lives together, because it’s not possible today. But the values remain the same.”Barjatya also noted the shift in his film sets, saying, “My film sets today have more women than men. This is a big change.”
“When I started, the only women (in the group) were actresses, their mothers and hairdressers.”He said having more women on set makes a difference in the creative process. “The energies are different. The way of looking at the scene is different. We never used to pay this much attention to costumes and production design. The number of kitchen sets and temples I put on screen that no one else did. This is where women come up with new ideas.”
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