Manisha Koirala Refuses Intimacy On Screen

The very beautiful Manisha Koirala is currently being seen in the Netflix omnibus Lust Stories where her segment on a midlife infidelity is directed by Dibakar Bannerjee.

While the theme of all the four stories is lust and the leading ladies of the other three stories Radhika Apte , Bhumi Pednekar and Kiara Advani are seen in some sexually bold scenes, Manisha’s segment stays away from physical intimacy.

Manisha requested Dibakar for the same. “I was deeply impressed by Dibakar’s open-minded responsive attitude. He listens to everyone , not just actors but also the crew. He narrated the film to me on Skype as I was in Nepal . I had my reservations about the love-making scenes. I very frankly told Dibakar that I’ve had some bad experiences with on-screen intimacy in the past.I thought he would not be able to get around that problem.”

But Dibakar did find a way.

“We managed to convey so much of the dynamics between my character and the two men in her life(her husband and husband’s best friend). What I liked about my character Reena is that she is past that age where women in our films are allowed to have an affair. And she is more fearless about her feelings for her husband’s best friend than the two men.It was a role I had not done before. Dibakar made it so easy. The complexities of the situation were handled gracefully. I felt completely comfortable working on this film. Dibakar is a refreshing mix of old school filmmaking and contemporary ideas. He’s weaned on the best cinema of the past. To this knowledge he brings his own modern sensibility.”

Manisha says she enjoyed working with her two co-stars . “Jaideep Ahlawat I had never worked with . He was so passionate about his work. We had extensive rehearsals before we actually shot the film. That again was a novelty for me. Then there was Sanjay Kapoor with whom I have worked many many years ago. Look how much he has evolved as an actor!”

Manisha loves the idea of leaving the triangle open at the end. “I am so used to doing films with a formal beginning middle and end. Here there is no clear resolution to the triangle. Such is life. It’s nice to see relationships treated realistically for a change.”

Manisha recently saw the entire omnibus of Lust Stories and was very impressed . “Not only by my segment which I really liked, but also the other three. It is so refreshing to see Karan Johar doing something so out of the box. This is a good time to be an actor in Indian cinema.”