Lust Stories Web Series-2018

Introduction 

Based on the idea of the 2013 anthology film Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language anthology film that consists of four short film segments. It was created by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar. For the third instalment of the anthology series Ghost Stories, which debuted on Netflix in 2020, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Anurag Kashyap got back together.

The second of three anthology movies by Johar, Banerjee, Akhtar, and Kashyap, Lust Stories was released in 2020. At the 47th International Emmy Awards, the movie received two nominations: Best TV Movie or Miniseries and Best Actress for Radhika Apte.

Table of contents 

• Details

• Story

• Release Date

• Reviews

• Cast

• Crew

• Behind the Scenes

• Awards

• Interesting facts

• Conclusion

Details 

Story

PlayLust Stories is a 2018 Indian anthology film, consisting of four short film segments directed by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar. The film explores the themes of love and desire from the perspectives of four women.

The first segment, directed by Anurag Kashyap, follows the story of Kalindi (Radhika Apte), a college professotheir actions' societal and personal consequencesAs their relationship progresses, Kalindi must confront the societal and personal consequences of their actions.

The second segment, directed by Zoya Akhtar, follows the story of Reena (Manisha Koirala) a housewife who explores her sexuality after her husband is diagnosed with impotence.

The third segment, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, follows the story of Sudha (Bhumi Pednekar), a housekeeper who begins a relationship with her employer, a wealthy businessman.

The fourth segment, directed by Karan Johar, follows the story of Megha (Neha Dhupia) and Paras (Vicky Kaushal), a young couple who struggle to keep their relationship alive in the face of societal pressure and Paras's infidelity. Overall the film is a series of four stories exploring the theme of desire and love from the female perspectives.

Release

Netflix has acquired the international distribution rights to Lust Stories. The movie debuted on Netflix on June 15, 2018. All the episodes of Lust Stories is Available on Netflix.

Reviews

Critics complimented the movie's representation of women and its examination of female sexuality, a topic that hasn't been much explored in Indian movies. Film critic Alaka Sahani praised the handling of the subject matter as "clinical" in the subversion of such regressive stereotypes associated with women who have an active sex life as the presumably amorous "vamps" in the Indian film industry. 

She used the metaphor of a woman's body draped in a dupatta to discuss the sheltered sexuality of women in general, a theme that took a central position in the narrative. Kiara Advani's masturbation sequence in the film, using a vibrator, was acclaimed for its honest representation of women's sexuality.

Mridula R of The News Minute mirrored the idea as she complimented the film's innovation in the honest representation of women, their "freedom, thoughts, [and] decisions". The "wonderful ladies resolutely and startlingly grasp the reins" and the "often not likeable, but definitely relatable women who typically elude our screens" were also praised by others. 

Commentators praised the film's deft use of female protagonists; they were particularly moved by the fact that each story featured a woman as the main character "without being obnoxious about it," and how they were used "to tell stories from a uniquely different perspective," and how it is a befitting slap in the face to India's morality preachers as an extremely contemporary take on — not sex in India.

Cast 

In Anurag Kashyap's Directed Segment

• Radhika Apte as Kalindi Dasgupta

• Akash Thosar as Tejas Bhave

• Ridhi Khakhar as Natasha Thakral

• Randeep Jha as Neeraj Choudhry

• Unknown as Mihir Dasgupta

In Zoya Akhtar's Directed Segment

• Bhumi Pednekar as Sudha Maheshwari

• Neil Bhoopalam as Ajit Khanna

• Nikita Dutta as Rukmini Sonkari

• Rasika Duggal as Sonalika Atiharan

In Dibakar Banerjee's Directed Segment

• Manisha Koirala as Reena Bahl

• Jaideep Ahlawat as Sudhir

• Sanjay Kapoor as Salman Ahmed Bahl

In Karan Johar's Directed Segment

• Kiara Advani as Megha Upadhyay

• Vicky Kaushal as Paras Upadhyay

• Neha Dhupia as Rekha

Crew

Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar each helmed one of the four short segments of the 2018 Indian anthology film Lust Stories. The movie boasts an ensemble cast that includes Radhika Apte, Bhumi Pednekar, Manisha Koirala, and Kiara Advani along with Akash Thosar, Vicky Kaushal, Neha Dhupia, and others. It is co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala of RSVP and Ashi Dua of Flying Unicorn Entertainment.

Sameer Uddin composed the music for the movie as well as one song as a guest composer, with the remaining songs being written by Amit Trivedi, Tanishk-Vayu, and Prateek Kuhad. Shellee, Kumar Suryavanshi, Prateek Kuhad, and Tanishk-Vayu wrote the lyrics.

Character Analysis

Kalindi (Radhika Apte)

Kalindi is a college professor who begins a secret affair with one of her students. She is strong-willed and independent but also struggles with her actions' societal and personal consequences.

Reena (Manisha Koirala)

Reena is a housewife who begins to explore her sexuality after her husband is diagnosed with impotence. She is initially hesitant and conflicted, but ultimately takes control of her own desires.

Sudha (Bhumi Pednekar)

Sudha is a housekeeper who begins a relationship with her employer, a wealthy businessman. She is a strong and determined woman but also faces class and power imbalances in her relationship.

Rekha (Neha Dhupia)

Rekha is a young woman in a relationship with Paras (Vicky Kaushal). She is loyal to her partner but also struggles with his infidelity and societal pressure on their relationship.

Paras (Vicky Kaushal) 

Paras is a young man in a relationship with Megha. He is portrayed as a charming and successful man but also struggles with infidelity and the pressure to maintain a conventional relationship.

Megha (Kiara Advani)

Megha is shown to be a strong and independent woman, who is determined to make her relationship work despite the challenges she faces. She is also a supportive partner who is willing to overlook Paras's infidelity for the sake of their relationship. However, Megha's character also reveals the emotional turmoil and insecurity that can come with being in a relationship where infidelity is present.

Kiara’s Advani's portrayal of Megha is nuanced and relatable, as she captures the complexity of the character's emotions and inner turmoil. She is able to convey the vulnerability and strength of the character in a subtle and powerful way.

Behind the scenes

PlayBombay Talkies, an anthology movie from 2013, has a sequel in the works called Lust Stories. Ronnie Screwvala and Ashi Dua jointly produced it under the banners of their respective production businesses RSVP and Flying Unicorn Entertainment. The four parts of the anthology movie were each helmed by a different director, including Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar.

The idea for Lust Stories came about when the filmmakers were discussing the lack of representation of female desire in Indian cinema. They decided to create a film that would explore the theme of love and desire from the perspectives of four women. The filmmakers approached the project with a desire to create a film that was authentic and relatable, and that would challenge societal norms and stereotypes about female sexuality.

The development of the film began with the writing of the four short film segments. Each director was given the freedom to develop their own story and characters, resulting in a diverse range of perspectives and styles. The film was shot over a period of two months, with each director filming their own segment.

The cast of the film includes a mix of established actors and newcomers, with Radhika Apte, Bhumi Pednekar, Manisha Koirala, and Neha Dhupia playing the lead roles in the four segments. Vicky Kaushal and Sanjay Kapoor also play important roles in the film.

The film premiered at the 48th International Film Festival of India and later it was released on Netflix. Lust Stories received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, and was praised for its authentic and relatable portrayal of female desire and its ability to challenge societal norms and stereotypes.

Awards

Interesting facts

• Lust Stories is an anthology film consisting of four short film segments, each directed by a different filmmaker. The directors are Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar.

• The film was inspired by the lack of representation of female desire in Indian cinema, and the filmmakers aimed to create a film that would explore the theme of love and desire from the perspectives of four women.

• Lust Stories premiered at the 48th International Film Festival of India and it was later released on Netflix. The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike.

• The film was praised for its authentic and relatable portrayal of female desire, and its ability to challenge societal norms and stereotypes about female sexuality.

• Lust Stories was considered a bold and important step forward in the representation of female desire in Indian cinema.

• Kiara Advani, who plays the role of Megha in the 4th segment directed by Karan Johar, was not well known at the time of the release of the movie and this was one of her first major roles in the film industry.

• The film was nominated for several awards including the International Emmy Awards for Best TV Movie or Mini-Series, the Asian Academy Creative Awards for Best Director Fiction, and the Asian Academy Creative Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female).

• Lust Stories was considered a trailblazer in Indian cinema, as it was one of the first films to openly and honestly explore the theme of female desire, and it was also one of the first Indian films to be released on a streaming platform like Netflix.

Conclusion

The making and development of Lust Stories was a collaborative effort between the filmmakers and the cast, with a strong focus on authenticity and relatability. The film was well received by critics and audiences, and it has been considered as a bold and important step forward in the representation of female desire in Indian cinema.