When I see Zoya’s film, I start questioning my own work: Reema Kagti

The talented writer and director Reema Kagti, who last directed Gold with Akshay Kumar, has penned down a show on big Indian fat weddings titled ‘Made In Heaven’ along with her friend Zoya Akhtar.

The honest creator who believes in staying true to her stories says it’s liberating to produce shows for the digital platform as there is no interference from the censor board.

“Yes, it’s very liberating but we never put anything just to titillate our viewers or to sensationalize anything. We put it there because we thought its necessary. When I am writing a feature, I am very aware of what I can or cannot say because the truth is you can’t,” says Reema and adds, “The truth is, in our county it’s easier to shoot a rape scene than to shoot a consensual sex and that’s a peculiar kind of problem that you are in.”

The writer further questions the presence of censorship in a democracy.

“It’s very limiting as a creator to not being able to show certain things to adults. I understand the need for certification, I don’t understand the need for censorship in a democracy. I have never understood that. Even for A certificate, certain cuts have to be made. So, it’s a question for all of us to ask what place do censorship have in a democracy,” asks the Talaash director.

Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar have joined hands to produce their first web series Made In Heaven for Amazon Prime Video. While the two have also written the nine-episode series, it has been directed by Zoya, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastava and Prashant Nair.

Ask Reema if she ever doubts herself and pat comes the reply, “Oh yes! The other day, I was telling Zoya that every time she releases a film, I start questioning myself as what am I doing. Zoya as a director really pushes me. Every time I see Zoya’s film, I start questing my own work. But, there is a certain comfort also in your most formidable rival also being your best friend. So, yes, it’s there but I think it’s all a healthy competition.”