IFFI 2023: You don’t have to be a woman to tell a woman’s story, says Pooja Bhatt on ‘Sanaa’

The story revolves around an ambitious woman grappling with an internal battle that is rooted from unhealed trauma.

Actor Pooja Bhatt, speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here, said on Friday that one doesn't have to be a woman to tell a woman’s story, adding that her film ‘Sanaa’ proves the same.

“Sanaa proves you don’t have to be a woman to tell a woman’s story. Empathy is not a female privilege’’ she said.

'Sanaa' is among the three Indian films that will compete with 12 movies for the prestigious 'Golden Peacock' award at the 54th IFFI.

The story revolves around an ambitious woman grappling with an internal battle that is rooted from unhealed trauma.

Bhatt also said that it is essential to have a dialogue on important issues such as abortion.

Directed by National Award-winning director Sudhanshu Saria, the film stars Radhika Madan, Bhatt and Sohum Shah in key roles.

Saria said, “I wanted to go more into an amorphous zone and delve into the matters of jealousy, class and desire. Those things were far more potent. It was a mixture of 3-4 things going on, it was about people being selfish, inappropriate relationships at work, and not having a healthy understanding of self.”

Speaking about his working style, Saria said the cast and crew worked in sync.

“The best job a director can do is to direct oneself while empowering others to work at their fullest potential," Saria said.

The lead actress Radhika Madan, who plays Sanaa, shared her experience in discerning the different layers of the character.

She said how the film portrays Sanaa as a grey character and how it is a relatable character for many.

In the film, the biggest weekend of her professional life only gets more complicated when Sanaa, a 28-year-old financial advisor working in Mumbai, finds out that she is pregnant. Absolutely clear on her decision to terminate the pregnancy, the actual process of getting the abortion will force Sanaa to re-evaluate her life and delve deep if the choices she has been making have been really her own.

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