Bhagyashree says on-screen intimacy shouldn’t make audiences ‘squirm’. ‘Stories can be bold… without being defiant to society’

Bhagyashree is back at making the headlines. The actress, who shot to fame after starring opposite Salman Khan in the 1989 commercial hit Maine Pyaar Kiya, will soon be seen in Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji. The historical action-drama is touted to be based on the life of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Besides shedding light on her character in the movie, Bhagyashree also shared some strong views on the modern portrayal of intimacy in films as compared to the 90s, when family entertainers were the norm.

Bhagyashree on evolving movie culture and on-screen intimacy

Bhagyashree, in an interaction with Variety India, revealed that back in her time, watching a movie brought families together. Since it was one of the media of entertainment, it offered an opportunity for the entire household to spend time with each other. The emergence of nuclear families, however, changed the concept. According to her, people have not only become more individualistic, but creative options have also expanded multifold.

According to Bhagyashree, since entertainment choices have doubled, it has become impossible to satisfy every type of audience. She highlighted that movies are now being divided into genres, cliques, art films and indie. The actress added that while she supports the rise of realism in the world of glitz and glamour, she feels it is unnecessary to show on-screen intimacy in a way that forces a person to ‘squirm’ while watching it with their parents or children. Bhagayshree emphasised that movies can be made with bold, diverse and interesting plots while respecting societal standards.

Bhagyashree on shifting gender roles and her next film

In another part of the conversation, Bhagyashree admitted that in the 90s, patriarchal films were the norm. The introduction of ‘working women’ characters have however, changed society’s paradigm. The credit goes to more and more ambitious women entering the male-dominated fields, changing the way women are perceived. ‘It’s great to see even men encouraging and supporting women to work post-marriage,’ said Bhagyashree.

Coming to Raja Shivaji, the film brings Riteish Deshmukh as the valiant Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Bhagyashree, on the other hand, plays the role of a resolute, intrepid and compassionate woman, Jija Bai. The makers unveiled Riteish’s first-look poster earlier this month. The pan-India project, filmed in both Marathi and Hindi, is slated for a theatrical release on May 1 this year.