The film was ‘hard to digest’ as it felt ‘personal’ for her mum and dad.

By Ashima Sethi

There has been no shortage of controversy surrounding Deepika Padukone‘s latest film with Siddhant Chaturvedi, Gehraiyaan. Not only does the film centre on an affair but a significant part of the running time depicts intimate scenes, which some audience members have called controversial ‘for a Bollywood movie.’

However, those who weren’t offended by the film’s somewhat dicey content have been quick to show their support, as the movie received positive reviews from the majority of audiences as well as critics in the last few weeks (Bollywood’s favourite hater Kangana Ranaut of course not being one of them).

The Shakun Batra directorial follows Alisha (played by Deepika) who is a character healing from a lot of past traumas. The inability to get over her past pushes her into the arms of her cousin’s fiancé, which leads to turmoil for both individuals. A heavy-hitter, the film focuses less on the Bollywood clichés we’ve come to know too well and more on character development and themes related to trauma, loss, and mental illness.

Speaking to NDTV about how her parents received the movie, Deepika discussed how initially it was difficult for her parents to digest as they sometimes struggle between differentiating between Deepika the person, and the role she has to play onscreen. Moreover, the film tried to depict the struggle with mental health in a very real way, which is something that Deepika has struggled with herself and has spoken about publicly on countless occasions.

“I think what [my parents] truly appreciated was my performance and also the way mental illness and mental health were depicted in the film, these were the two big takeaways,” the actress shared with the media. She then went on to talk about how although she did not agree with many of the choices her character made in the film, audiences should be aware that the movie serves to be more observational. Although you as a viewer may not understand a character’s decision, it does not mean that someone else cannot relate to it, and therefore we should avoid passing too much judgment.

In addition to showing gratitude to her parents for being understanding of her choice in a more controversial role, Deepika has also said a public thank you to her fans. She said: “The response to Gehraiyaan has been dizzying to say the least! ‘Alisha’ has been my most visceral, indelible, and delicious experience as an artist. While I am ecstatic and overwhelmed, I am also truly grateful and humbled!”