Sensuality is looked down upon by people, but it needs to be celebrated

The trailer release of Tipppsy, written and directed by Deepak Tijori, saw a frank interaction between father-daughter duo Mahesh and Pooja Bhatt. The film is reportedly about how the lives of five girls change after their bachelorette trip to Goa, and focuses on how modern women like to live and enjoy life the way they want to.

Mahesh Bhatt, who praised Deepak Tijori’s direction as seen in the trailer, pointed out the importance of delivering the kind of content that the young generation wants. “Times are fast changing and if you don’t keep up with the type of content the young generation consumes, you’ll be left behind,” he warned.

He said Tipppsy caters to the current generation, is based on a good concept, and has vitality, and sensuality, giving audiences a chance to see the type of writer Deepak is.

Asked how important it is to include sensuality in a film if it is to work, the veteran filmmaker said “Sensuality has been meaningful throughout time. Without sensuality, the human race would have not come to where it is now. Sensuality is looked down upon by people, but it needs to be celebrated. We in the entertainment world use the animal needs in man to our advantage, to draw audiences in. Getting bums in seats is not easy.”

His daughter Pooja was completely candid when she talked about a time when she was often tipsy, and the role Deepak played in her life then. “My sober friend is high on life,” she began. “There was a time when I used to be dead drunk and it would be Deepak who dropped me home safe and sound. He has never been judgemental. He has been there with me for the past thirty years. He is my true 4 A.M. friend. I’m so proud to witness this milestone of his.”

Asked to comment on changing times, and girls now being shown to get tipsy, Pooja said she had stood on the stage and unabashedly talked about how she used to get tipsy, but is now sober. “Hum bhi Peete hai, hum bhi recover karte hai...humko bhi itna hi dard hota hai, Tanhayi hoti hai... we can out drink most men .Our pain is much greater. Everyone is facing high-pressure stress in their professions, therefore a drink is recommended to take the edge off. It might work for some people and be disastrous for others. Women should depict all their facets, not only the ‘Sati Savitri’ one. They may also fumble and fall, make mistakes, and recover. I was open about my recovery process.”

Does sex sell in Bollywood?

Mahesh Bhatt’s take

No, I don’t think so. Sex has lost its allure in this age where images come into your homes on your smartphones. The allure of sex in the days with no Internet was different. People had to throng to cinema houses to consume erotic content. When fast-paced edgy content is combined with sensuality, it’s like blood that gets the shark all fired up. At times, at the end of the day, you want to watch a thriller, a fast-paced film. That’s why they have so much of that kind of content. There is a section that wants introspective content, but that is getting less and less. Today, you can’t define the word Bollywood. The doors have been flung open, humanity is looking awe-struck at the future, and anybody who thinks he has the answer is bullshitting.”

“There was a time when I used to be dead drunk and it would be Deepak who dropped me home safe. He has been there with me for the past thirty years. He is my true 4 A.M. friend. I’m so proud to witness this milestone of his.” — pooja bhatt