Seemaa Desai on creating Kaushaljis vs Kaushal: 'Older couples deserve stories that...'

Sheeba Chaddha and Ashutosh Rana in Kaushaljis vs Kaushal

Love knows no gender, religion or age. So why are new-age romances abundant, but there is nothing about couples who spend an eternity together? To fill that gap, filmmaker Seemaa Desai created her film Kaushaljis vs Kaushal - the first original under the JioHotstar umbrella. It took her three years to find a platform for her film. "It took a while, but I found the right home where people could access it. The film is about the complaints partners have with each other. I wanted to tackle the loneliness of the older couple and how distance leads them to seek divorce after 50," shares the director.

Seemaa Desai

While the choreographer-turned-director initially thought it would be difficult to get experienced actors on board for the project, Ashutosh Rana, Sheeba Chaddha, and Brijendra Kala, among others, were quick to give their consent when they heard the story. "They all resonated with the story. Everyone related to it through their life experiences and their age group; everything added to the story. If I don't follow my heart, the story gets adulterated," says Desai. She explains how the film focuses on their mixed emotions of freedom, while also facing loneliness, as Rana and Chaddha's characters file for divorce. It also shows how the actors brought in "their lived-in experience." "Older couples deserve stories that reflect their realities, not just nostalgia or stereotypes. Ashutosh sir and Sheeba ma'am bring a lived-in authenticity to their roles. You don't see actors; you see a couple struggling with love and resentment."

Kaushaljis vs Kaushal also attempts to break patriarchal patterns. Desai believes the story highlights the agency of making choices at any stage of life. "There is a scene where Ashutosh asks his son [played by Pavail Gulati] to pat his head. You look at this old man like a young boy. Such films have longevity. We need to stop treating marriage as a one-size-fits-all equation where women must always adjust. Kaushaljis vs Kaushal questions that mindset," asserts Desai.