In Kanika Dhillon’s words, crocodiles star in a leading role alongside Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba. Any Bollywood film lover can guess where the inspiration stems from.

“I have been a Khoon Bhari Maang [1988] fan. I’ve always wanted to write a moment that would be a hat-tip to that film. The shot in the trailer, where a crocodile comes next to their boat, is personal,” smiles the writer-creator.

Coming three years after Haseen Dillruba (2021), the romantic thriller follows the lives of Pannu’s Rani and Massey’s Rishu as another suitor enters the equation. Dhillon says the sequel is a pulpy offering, just like the first part.

“I loved creating this world of Haseen Dillruba. The audience’s love was unprecedented. Taapsee was gung-ho [about the sequel] from the concept level. Vikrant backed me completely. The mauj comes from my artistes who tell me to make a movie that’s raw and riskier. Now, we have gone bolder. The audience reminded me last time that they are ready for risqué stories. So, we shouldn’t fear giving them the unconventional.”

But the opinions on the trailer have come by the bulk. The line about Rani being ‘badchallan’ has triggered a dialogue about toxic stories being glorified. The writer-creator says she has been tackling the character’s toxicity since part one.

“A section of the audience picked on these aspects of the film, and rightly so. These are healthy debates. Movies about imperfect characters and their flaws must start these conversations. All reactions that come to me are welcome. But I would feel bad if my stories are met with indifference. I love being polarizing. I’m an artiste. If I have written a story, I’m aware that it is made for all factions of society.”

Rani is the centrepiece of the Netflix film, as she uses love and betrayal to her advantage. Does Dhillon view the character as an alpha?

“Rani is the heroine, Rishu is the hero, Abhimanyu [Kaushal’s character] is the catalyst to the plot. I am Dinesh Pandit [a bestselling novelist in the film], and Pandit’s words dictate everyone’s actions. He is the alpha. The film is edgy, wicked and messy, and the audience should know this is in no way a sanitised world. My actors helped me land the story the way I wanted. Anurag Kashyap rightly says Taapsee and I are both mad. Rani is a mix of us. Taapsee is a woman of spine, and someone who stands her ground.”