"It's a male-dominated world but...": Tia Bajpai on her role in 'Lakeerein' highlighting marital rape

'Lakeerien,' a compelling social drama addressing the crucial and underreported issue of marital rape, is poised to captivate audiences and ignite important conversations. It is a powerful narrative that delves into the complexities of consent and domestic violence within the confines of marriage.

Tia spoke with ANI about how she readied herself for a film on such a delicate subject. She said, "It took me some time to comprehend that there was such a thing as marital rape when the script was shown to me. Subsequently, I conducted online research, perused numerous accounts, spoke with numerous female law enforcement officers, and learned about the kind of instances and perspectives that women have regarding contemporary issues affecting women. After giving it some thought, I felt that I should do this movie so that I could share this message with the public and make at least a 5 per cent difference."

Tia shared the takeaway from the film that she wishes to convey, saying, "Marriage is an institution and a responsibility in itself. We Indians are taught that once you get married, whatever happens, you have to adjust. Many times while giving advice to our daughters, we forget that marriage does not work from one side only, it has to be balanced like a scale. It is also mentioned in the movie that she is today's girl, even though she has been given instructions from the old times, she has a mind of her own. After a time, she feels that this is not right, but somewhere she is a human being."

Tia responded to the controversial debate about the film by saying, "It's a male-dominated world but those who are in positions of power are very intelligent people, they will understand this. Whatever is there should not be just for its entertainment purpose, it should also have cultural value. Entertainment is an important part of our entire culture. India is a very cultural country in itself."

Tia, who is from Lucknow and played a girl in the movie from Lucknow, remembers shooting a scene in the same temple she used to visit when she was a child. She said, "There was a scene of Mankameshwar Temple and as I am from Lucknow only. I have been going there since my childhood every Monday since the age of 6. I could not believe that I was doing a film scene in that same temple. I am filming the scene with Ashutosh Rana and all the people and priests know you there." Talking about her upcoming projects, Tia said, "I am shooting for a horror film, which is an International film, titled 'Don't Laugh' which will be released in 2024." Talking about the film, earlier, Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel launched the trailer of 'Lakeerien' at Raj Bhawan, Lucknow.

The movie depicts Kavya's (Tia Bajpai) struggle as she seeks justice against her husband, Vivek Damodar Agnihotri (Gaurav Chopra), for the horrible act of marital rape. In the courtroom, Bidita Bag's character, Advocate Geeta Bishwas, faces off against Ashutosh Rana's character, Advocate Dudhari Singh.

'Lakeerien', a powerful tale of justice and marital rape is set to release on November 3, 2023. (ANI)