Even though she is an outsider in the industry, Kriti Sanon never fears voicing her opinion. The actress stood firmly in support of the #MeToo Movement, which has brought a huge shift in the industry.
The actress is also a part of Housefull 4, whose actor Nana Patekar and director Sajid Khan are facing allegations of sexual harassment. Following which, they both were replaced midway. While Sajid was replaced by writer Farhad Samji, Nana was replaced by actor Rana Daggubati.
Reacting to the allegations and developments thereafter, Kriti says, “I think we all were, at that point, disturbed, angry and shocked. And, at the same time, we were glad that at least there was some talk and people were coming out. But, every day, we were waking up to some 10 #MeToo stories. Being a woman, it is disturbing and I know how much guts it takes for anybody to come and talk in the open.”
The actress further reveals that the film didn’t suffer much as it had a strong support system like Sajid Nadiadwala as the producer.
“The producer Sajid Nadiadwala handled it very well. The shooting was stopped only for two days and we were back on track. So much had changed but the film was intact and he made sure he was on sets every day and he took out a lot of money from his own pocket. There were parts that needed to be reshot and he took the call to do all of that even though it was not his fault. Being a responsible producer, he handled it really well,” says the 28-year-old actress.
She also feels that the movement has brought a change in the industry for the better. “The #MeToo movement has brought in the fear where people are cautious and they have this fear that ‘if I do something wrong, I will not be able to get away with it’. We needed this and there might not be a lot of developments in terms of legality but I am glad it has opened up conversations,” says Kriti.
For Kriti, Bareilly Ki Barfi was a game changer and she has come a long way since then. The actress believes that the only thing that’s bankable today is the content.
“Bareilly broke a lot of barriers for me. I started getting a lot of opportunities. People started seeing me in the small town world. I don't know what bankable really means but today content is the only thing that’s bankable,” says Kriti who is looking for a script that she would like to pull off entirely on her shoulders. “But, I have to believe in the script. I am still looking for that script,” she adds.
The actress, who is an outsider, agrees that now she has a sense of belonging in the industry. However, she is still struggling to find some good scripts.
“I do have a sense of belonging. I know I am here and have made a place for myself. However, the kind of opportunity that I am really craving to do is not on my table. Sometimes I find myself being frustrated but everyone has their own journey. Sometimes it takes one hit and sometimes it takes a little more but you do get there in your own way,” says Kriti who made her debut with the film Heropanti and is busy promoting her upcoming film Luka Chuppi.
Luka Chuppi dwells on live-in relationships and talking about the subject, she says, “I really believe in the institution of marriage but I don’t judge when someone wants to go for a live-in. You want to be sure before you commit marriage to someone. It helps to see the compatibility or to know that person better. So, it’s okay! For me, even if I ever think of a live-in, it will be leading to marriage. Also, I am okay not being in a live-in and directly going for marriage,” she signs off.
