Director Anshuman Chaturvedi’s short film Haldi is currently streaming on OTT. He says that the film reflects the right of a woman to protect herself and to say no.
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He adds, “Post A for Antara, I wanted to do a female-centric subject which deals with women battling the issue of sexual abuse back home. It’s far easier to exorcise the ghost of a public place than one hiding behind the curtains of a house. I had heard so many real-life incidents from close family and friends and coming from a Hindi heartland where patriarchy dominates everything, I knew this issue and felt it must be addressed through a sensitive story. When I narrated Haldi to Aarti Singh, it was a mere coincidence that she said she would do the film as she herself was a victim of this problem.”
Talking about the title, he says, “The title addresses the entire story itself as Haldi is the most desired and auspicious occasion of a woman’s life and when this very moment becomes the moment of torment then there’s something deeply wrong with the situation.”
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Meanwhile, the director adds that he wants to helm more of such films. “Of course, I want to address so many societal issues through sensitive films. I don’t want to preach but I want to present a perspective which is moving and spotlighting the problem,” he says.
