Exclusive: Director Dibakar Banerjee Hails LSD 2 Lead Bonita Rajpurohit: “She Has Never Been A Victim, Always A Fighter”
Interesting!
As LSD 2 hits theatres, the buzz around its revolutionary casting choice, Bonita Rajpurohit, Bollywood’s first transwoman lead, continues to grow. Bonita Rajpurohit plays the character of Kulu, a trans woman who finds herself in the complexities of modern-day issues of transphobia, and social injustice towards the same. In an exclusive interview with Hauterrfly, film director, Dibakar Banerjee, opened up about his decision to cast Bonita Rajpurohit in this challenging and complex role.
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Dibakar Banerjee On Bonita Rajpurohit’s Role As Kulu
In the chat, Dibakar Banerjee shared that Rajpurohit’s real-life resilience profoundly influenced her portrayal of Kulu, a character that he adamantly states is not a victim, but a fighter. “She added tremendously,” Dibakar remarked, praising Rajpurohit’s authentic representation of Kulu’s complexities. “Bonita has gone through a lot in life but she has never been a victim. And our Kulu, the character, we were very clear that Kulu is not a victim, she is a fighter.”
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Dibakar Banerjee On Bonita Rajpurohit And Her Life
Reflecting on his experiences during the shoot, Banerjee admitted to not knowing Rajpurohit very well initially. It was only through her subsequent interviews that he discovered the extent of her personal battles and her significant following. “Throughout the shoot, I worked with Bonita as an actor, now when I see her in interviews I’m realizing how much of a fighter she is, what she has gone through, and how much of a following she has. It’s all a revelation to me post-making of the film,” he explained.
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Also Read: Exclusive: Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 Director Dibakar Banerjee: “Hope LSD 2 Makes Me And Ektaa Kapoor Rich”
About Love Sex Aur Dhoka 2
LSD 2 aims to challenge the norms and push the boundaries of storytelling within the Bollywood film industry. By introducing Rajpurohit, Banerjee not only brings a fresh face to the silver screen but also a powerful, authentic voice to the transgender community. The film itself, a three-part narrative, tackles themes such as trans visibility and transphobia, hoping to ignite conversations and change perceptions.
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Dibakar Banerjee On His Hopes From LSD2
Further into the interview, Dibakar talked about his expectations and takeaways he hoped the audience get from the film. With his typical blend of humour and humility, Dibakar expressed modest hopes about the film’s success. However, his aspirations for the film extend beyond just commercial success. Dibakar Banerjee hopes that LSD 2 will offer diverse takeaways for its audience, reflecting the complexity and the multi-layered nature of its narratives.
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As LSD 2 makes its mark, all eyes will be on Bonita Rajpurohit, whose groundbreaking role as Kulu might just set the stage for more inclusive and diverse casting in Bollywood’s future. LSD 2 was released on April 19 in theatres, 14 years after its spiritual prequel LSD.
