THE NUANCED STORYTELLER
Though a relatively new player in the Indian film industry, Reema Kagti is a powerhouse of talent.
After honing her craft as an assistant director on the sets of films like Bombay Boys, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai and Lakshya; this student of English Literature made her directorial debut with Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. The deceptively simple film told the story of six couples embarking on a honeymoon tour, and their adventures as they discovered the world and each other as newlyweds. The film was feted by fans and critics for Kagti’s fresh, sparkling narrative; blending Bollywood kitsch with magic realism, conservatism with breaking hetero-normative gender stereotypes and balancing young, heady chemistry with a graceful old-school romance. Kagti also received a Queer Media Collective Award for the film, for her sensitive handling of a homosexual relationship in a popular film — firmly establishing her as the harbinger of change in an industry accustomed to relying on old tropes and storytelling devices.
An associate with Excel Entertainment, 40-year-old Kagti continues to actively assist with the scripting and dialogues of all of Excel’s projects. Her coolth is evident in every film she works on, spotted most easily through the effervescent and effortless banter of her on-screen characters. The language is never trite, always young and relevant — even when the characters are at their most poignant. Currently working on one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year, Talaash, Kagti’s unique selling point is that she does not take herself too seriously — something that can turn even the most talented artist’s work staid.
