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Motwane, Batra Address Backlash Over Intimacy in KANK, Gehraiyaan: "Huge Weight Of Morality"
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News18•21-09-2026, 09:04
Motwane, Batra Address Backlash Over Intimacy in KANK, Gehraiyaan: "Huge Weight Of Morality"
- •Filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane and Shakun Batra discuss the uproar surrounding on-screen intimacy and extramarital affairs in films like Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK) and Gehraiyaan.
- •Karan Johar previously recalled "immense backlash" for KANK, with some calling it "anti sanskaari" and a couple walking out during an intimate scene.
- •Motwane attributes the problem not to the audience, but to "gatekeepers" who deem such content against culture, noting younger generations are more open to discussions on sex and intimacy.
- •Batra, who explored similar themes in Gehraiyaan and now in Lust Stories 3, remains unfazed by reactions, emphasizing that an artist's intention can transform potentially crass content into something poetic.
- •Batra highlights the societal reluctance to revise moral ideas, stating that people live in "greys" but often refuse to acknowledge them in storytelling.
Key Questions Answered
Vikramaditya Motwane stated that the general audience is not the issue, but rather the 'gatekeepers' who claim such content goes against culture.
This year marks 20 years of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, a film that previously received immense backlash and was labeled 'anti sanskaari' by some viewers.
Shakun Batra explores desire through marital breakdown, treating sex as a language for everything an estranged couple cannot express to each other.
