Apparently Ekta simply freaked out at the trial, screaming and wondering aloud what this director had made for her
Dibakar (Oye Lucky Lucky Oye) Banerjee's first film for Ekta Kapoor's Balajee Films is also Ekta's first foray into experimental cinema.
And when she saw the finished product Ekta simply freaked out. According to onlookers Ekta's reaction to Banerjee's digitally-shot film on the absence of privacy and the prevalence of voyeurism in today's time was one of horror and utter disbelief.
Dibakar Banerjee doesn't deny his producer was shocked.
"When Ekta saw the film she wasn't so much shocked by the content on voyeurism and free-for-all invasion of privacy as the treatment and format. I've shot the film on a digital format with a hand-held camera. So Ekta's first question was, ‘Why is the camera shaking so much?'
Her second question was, ‘Who is going to watch this film?' Frankly I had answers for both the questions. But Ekta's initial reaction of shock remains.
She doesn't really believe that such an unusual and shocking film is viable. But she sees me as this nice sweet seemingly harmless Bengali guy who can't deliberately do anything wrong. She's indulging me.
See, normally the digital format is used by a filmmaker for the lack of choices. But for Love Sex Aur Dokha the digital format was the only choice. "
Ekta doesn't deny she was startled by what she saw in Dibakar's film. "The camera was shaking so much I was completely shaken.
There are three stories and all of them effected me very deeply specially the one about the
woman who's shot with a hidden camera. When I came out of the movie I was furtively looking for bugs and cameras
everywhere. I realized I was so jolted not so much by the technique of storytelling which is unlike anything we've seen, but by content which tells us there is no privacy in today's day and age of mobile cameras and MMS."
Now Ekta is terrified of how Love Sex Aur Dhokha will be received. "Forget how it will be received. How will we release a film in such an experimental format? It's easy for Dibakar to make what he wants. Now it's my responsibility to see it reaches the audience."
The question is, how would a digital movie called Love Sex Aur Dokha appeal to the audience? The title was nearly shot down by the moral watchdogs within the industry. But Dibakar stood his ground.
"It had to be Love Sex Aur Dokha. I know the title is reminiscent of Sex Lies & Videotape. But Love Sex Aur Dokha is nothing like Steven Soderberg's film. In fact it's unlike anything audiences have seen. That is why Ekta is apprehensive."
