Gender-ally speaking

R. Balki is known for his emotional movies like Cheeni Kum, Pa, Shamitabh among others, but his forthcoming movie Ki and Ka seems unlike his previous flicks. In Ki and Ka, he questions the gender role-play stereotypes. “Why should the roles of a couple be defined by the society Thus, the homemaker turns bread-earner and vice-versa in this film.” In a chat with us, he shares his take on marriage, companionship, working with Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.

On the institution of marriage Marriages, like most other things, are overrated, feels Balki. “I first offer my condolences and then my congratulations to a newly-wed,” he quips and adds, “A woman once told me that 99% of women marry because they want to look good on one day and feel no one else is prettier than them, not because they seek support or desire belongingness from a man. Kids these days have this idea of having an idyllic life but let me burst your bubble. Marriage is not about that.”

On companionship Elaborating on what companionship means to him, Balki says, “It’s a lovely thing to have a companion, but let’s not take it too seriously. If you want to be together in a conservative society you’ll have to get married, so fine, but why should the roles you have to take be defined by society ”

Being a homemaker or having a full-fledged career — what’s tougher “Being a homemaker, hands down,” he says.

He adds, “Having said this, let me clarify, I hate the words ‘house husband’ because they imply that the woman is out of the house! Or ‘working woman’ because that says that the man is not working! Being a homemaker, whether man or woman, is a much tougher role because there is no acknowledgement of efforts. You tend to take the person for granted. It’s like doing a job without any appreciation, any pay, any leaves, any hikes and it is without an option of looking out for another job too!”

On working with Arjun Kapoor “I met him with two love stories, one of them was Ki and Ka, and he jumped at it. He wanted to do this one and he was totally gung ho about it. I asked him if he knows how to sweep and chop vegetables and other household chores and he didn’t know a thing! But we both were convinced that it is his zero know-how and unconventional appearance that will make him work for this role. His built and demeanour on screen — everything — is so grand; you’d never associate him with a homemaker. That’s what worked for us.”

Kareena and her happy vibes “Kareena, on the other hand, was very happy that she didn’t have to sweep and cook and willingly said ‘yes’ to the movie,” informs Balki. A man working at home On being asked if he wasn’t wary of denting traditional Indian culture by showing a man working in the kitchen, Balki asserts, “There are only a few idiots who will say that and only because their voice may be louder, that doesn’t mean the entire country feels the same way. The culture does not say that a man cannot work at home or a woman cannot work outside. It is about two parts of a life that two life partners have to shoulder and fulfill.”