Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; February 19, 2020)

He wanted to do an entertaining romantic film, and in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Jitendra Kumar is doing exactly that. The only difference is, instead of romancing a girl, he will be romancing Ayushmann Khurrana. In a chat with us, Jitendra says that SMZS is actually a love story between two individuals with a family bhasad. From addressing homophobia in the film to his family’s reaction to his character, the actor talks about how the film aims to normalise same-sex relationships. Excerpts:

You play Ayushmann Khurrana’s love interest in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan — was it a calculated risk?
There was no calculation. I got to know that the makers were thinking of casting me in a film on a same-sex relationship, I met them and read some scenes with our writer-director Hitesh Kewalya. Hitesh could see in me what he wanted from the character. Then, I met Aanand (L Rai, co-producer) sir, did one more reading and I was part of the film. I was more keen to know how the story has been written. They were sure that I was the right person to play the character but I wanted to know more about the story. When I got to know the entire story, I really enjoyed it. The most interesting part was how the topic (of same-sex relationship) was normalised visually in the film. Joh hum general ‘conventional’ romance dekhte hain between people of the opposite gender, waisa hi romantic feel iss couple ke saath hai.

Many actors talk about how certain roles can be emotionally draining. In the trailer, we can see your character being beaten and dealing with parental disapproval. You are going through the same emotions that many others go through when they come out to their families. How did you prepare for that emotionally, since your character did not require you to change physically?
I have a few friends who have come out to me. When I got to know their stories, I realised how badly they have been treated by their own family. Mujhe zyada pata nahi tha, par jab Section 377 pe verdict aaya I was shocked to know that having a same-sex relationship was considered a criminal activity till then. As far as the movie is concerned, jab bhi aap ek naya character karne ja rahe hote ho toh aap physically changes laate ho — the way you walk or talk. So I started watching videos of people who are open about their sexuality. While watching their interviews and talks, I also got to know about the pain they went through and I felt emotionally connected to them. Then I realised that there are many who are ‘normal’ in the way they talk and behave and I felt stupid that why was I even looking for such stereotypical things? In the script also, my character’s requirement was that he should look like any other boy.

In metros, people are becoming more open about same-sex relationships. How do you think people in small towns, like the one in which the film is set, will react to two men in love?
This film is about people who have homophobia. And we have no education on the topic. In our textbooks, we are only taught about reproduction with the opposite gender and we get to know about samesex relationships only through negative information. It has been seen as taboo for long, so obviously, people won’t accept it as something natural in a day. This story is about them. I think the movies that have been made so far on the topic have reached only those who already knew about it and were evolved. This might be the movie that reaches the small towns and cities of the country. Ek raat mein kuch nahi badlega par unhe ye zaroor feel hoga ki ek natural cheez hai. It is not even a choice, we say ‘It is a choice, let them do whatever they want to’. But it is natural for them to love people of the same gender. The audience will get to hear these things a lot in the film so I think the next time, they will be a bit more accepting if someone tells them that they are homosexual. People won’t be shocked, kyunki ye movie woh shock khatam karne ka kaam kar degi.

The film has been pitched as a rom-com but the topic is sensitive. How did you maintain a balance and make sure you didn’t offend anyone?
Hitesh had done that as part of the script. When we all heard the story, we felt it was like any other love story. Family ki bhasad hai par romance normal hai. There were a lot of discussions on the set, all of us would give inputs, add a particular word to a scene to normalise the topic.

Your kiss with Ayushmann is being talked about a lot. Why do you think it is such a big deal?
This is the first time the audience has seen something like this on the big screen, and it’s natural for them to react. I remember the kiss in Raja Hindustani (between Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor), people talked about it a lot as well. Whenever we see something new on the big screen that we are generally awkward to talk about, toh thodi baatein hoti hai. This is the first, and hopefully the last time, people talk about a kissing scene between two people of the same gender.

How did your family react to it?
When I was finalised to play this part, they got to know that I am doing a lead role in a romantic film, but thodi different romantic film. Of course, my parents were a bit awkward and they didn’t talk about it openly for two-three days, but they were happy. Later, we discussed it and they were okay with it. But I think log ab dheere-dheere evolve ho rahe hai. Jaise meri family, jo middle-class, small town se hai, unka reaction waisa nahi tha jaise maine socha tha. But it is okay for people till the time it is being shown in a movie or is happening with someone else. The real reaction would come when it would happen in our family, but ek raat mein nahi hoga, time toh lagega.