Ashi Dua on Lust Stories 3: How Four Directors Shaped the Anthology
Producer Ashi Dua opens up about the making of Lust Stories 3, from Motwane's multiple ideas to Kiran Rao's instantly loved story and Vishal Bhardwaj's openness to feedback.
The third instalment of the Lust Stories anthology brings together four filmmakers with distinct styles — Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj — each directing a segment that explores different facets of relationships, intimacy and desire. Producer Ashi Dua has now offered a glimpse into how each story took shape.
Speaking about Motwane, Dua described him as one of the finest filmmakers in the country and said he had several ideas before settling on the segment that made the final cut. The team had initially pushed for something lighter and more fun, and when Motwane arrived at his eventual idea, everyone fell in love with it immediately. She also praised his casting, particularly the pairing of Konkona Sen Sharma and Radhika Apte, calling them two of the best actresses. According to Dua, Motwane had two other stories in mind before the final one came together.
Kiran Rao, by contrast, was the only filmmaker among the four whose very first idea was embraced by the entire team. Dua said the team had expected Rao to bring something more serious, but were pleasantly surprised by the mainstream, commercial and thriller elements in her story. She credited Rao and producer-writer Tanaji Dasgupta for presenting the story in a way that instantly connected with the team.
Working with Vishal Bhardwaj presented a different challenge, given his extensive body of work and seniority. Dua admitted the process involved considerable back-and-forth on story ideas, but said Bhardwaj remained open to feedback and surrounded himself with young collaborators. She described him as a complete trooper and said he had done something really fun with his segment.
Shakun Batra, whom Dua placed in her own generation of filmmakers, developed two scripts before the team settled on the final story. She praised his sensitivity with characters and relationships, citing Kapoor & Sons among her favourite films, and said the version that reached the screen elevated the material beyond what was on the page.