'LSD2 is about living for a thousand cameras': Dibakar Banerjee
What's the story
14 years after the release of the groundbreaking Love Sex Aur Dhokha, acclaimed filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee has returned with Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2.
In an interview with Mid-Day, he shared that a decade of life experiences and observations were necessary for this project to fully take shape.
"I thought that a decade has passed and everything has changed in this period. So, there is enough masala [to create] a spiritual offspring," said Banerjee.
Theme
'LSD 2': A deep dive into social media's influence
Banerjee spoke about how LSD 2 deviates from its spiritual predecessor.
He told the portal, "If LSD 1 was about the camera serendipitously spying on you, LSD 2 is you living for a thousand cameras."
The film is a tale of three interconnected stories and stars Tusshar Kapoor, Anu Malik, Mouni Roy, Swastika Mukherjee, and Sophie Choudry, among others.
Casting
Banerjee on why transgender lead was selected
In a landmark move for Bollywood, LSD 2 features transgender actor Bonita Rajpurohit in a leading role.
"The way I see it, if there is a transgender character, a transgender actor has to play it," he stated.
"There is another story in the film, which also has a transgender character, but is played by a man because we were told that taking two transgender actors will be too much. So, we all make our compromises."
Internet's role
How does the Internet impact our lives?
Speaking about how the Internet has evolved over the years, he said, "The Internet gives us a certain kind of independence. In the virtual world, we can be whoever we fantasize to be."
"But when we reinvent our identity and try to sell it, we are caught in it and that's the exact opposite of freedom."
In LSD 2, L stands for like, S represents share, and D echoes download!
Vision
Banerjee's unique approach to filmmaking
Banerjee has managed to maintain his distinctive voice throughout his 15-year career without yielding to commercial pressures.
When asked about how he achieves this balance, he humorously responded, "I keep myself cheap," implying that producers are aware he won't compromise his vision.
Despite not being a mainstream director, Banerjee attracts producers interested in innovative projects.
He shared, "For instance, Ektaa Kapoor won't tap me for The Dirty Picture 2. She is smart and knows what kind of films I'll do."