In a time when cinemagoers go to theatres only to garner that larger-than-life experience with action-packed and VFX-heavy movies, Shekhar Kapur’s What’s Love Got To Do With It? comes as a breath of fresh air. The Shabana Azmi and Emma Thompson-starrer, with a screenplay by Jemima Khan, was released in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia in February. The cross-cultural romantic comedy that is set to release in India in March opened to great appreciation at international film festivals.

The response didn’t come as a surprise to Kapur and Azmi, despite the release of a Hollywood big-wig—Marvel’s Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. After missing the London première, Azmi attended the Toronto Film Festival. “We got two standing ovations [at TTF]. At the Jeddah Film Festival, the press gave us good reviews,” says the actor, adding that the film did well in the UK.

“It is a lovely film about identities [made] with a lot of heart. I am keeping my fingers crossed that people in India like it too.”

Kapur, who returns to direction 16 years after his film Elizabeth: The Golden Age, says, “As a filmmaker, when you are working creatively, intensely and passionately, you have to assume that your passion and emotions will be shared by the audiences too. My films have always been appreciated at the film festivals and with the theatre audiences—whether it is Masoom, Mr India, Elizabeth, Four Feather or What’s Love Got To Do With It?” He feels that What’s Love Got To Do With It? has something that is attracting the audiences and competing with the big Hollywood movies.

Azmi claims that besides the lure of working with Kapur and Thompson, she liked the script, which convinced her to come on board. “It is clever, funny, and takes an affectionate look at the Asian community. It shows two cultures so different from each other, without passing judgement, just observations that ring true. Emma loved the film both times she saw it and said, ‘I’m very proud to be a part of it.’ It was too good an offer to resist.”

Kapur informs that the March release has to first be censored in India. “We hope it will happen by next month, and then we can have a summer release. Though OTT platforms have some good stuff, it is nice when a film like What’s Love Got To Do With It? competes theatrically and does well,” he shares, adding that if people talk about What’s Love Got To Do With It? 30 years later, he would consider it a success.