Tahira Kashyap Khurrana belongs to the ilk of women who love telling their stories with a splattering of quirk. Independent to the core, Tahira, who believes in living life on her own terms, has just finished wrapping up her debut feature film, Sharma Ji Ki Beti, which is awaiting release later this year. We catch up with the spirited filmmaker and author about the film and more.
How has the year 2021 been for you?
It had been a tough year for most of us but somehow, I have made it my philosophy now to make the most of life in the most intrinsic sense and this year has been very eventful for me. I started a cinema collective, Indian Women Rising, along with Ekta Kapoor and Guneet Monga to empower female talent in the film industry. Then two of my shorts, Pinni and Quaranteen Crush, were released on Netflix, and I launched my book on motherhood called The 7 Sins of Being A Mother. Also, I wrapped up filming my first feature, Sharma Ji Ki Beti, after four long years since its conception. So, yeah, it has been quite a hectic year for me.
How has it been filming Sharma Ji Ki Beti?
It was a beautiful experience and I made the most of it. No film is made without any crisis happening but I had been waiting for this moment for so long that I tackled every crisis with a smile and a big hug. The entire set was joyful and we had a blast because we were all prepared and did thorough homework.
It took four years to complete the film...
Yes, I had written this script in 2017 and have been trying to make this film ever since. As topics, Women and children are close to my heart. There are so many facets to us than what we see in films, we are so much more than a tragic queen or a revolutionary, we have our own idiosyncrasies, and this film is an ode to all the women I have ever known. It will be a fun film with a whole lot more to it.