Since the trailer of Pati, Patni Aur Woh has been dropped, the film has faced a lot of backlash from social media for making light of marital rape. Users have been calling out one sequence in particular where Kartik tells his friend that if a man requests for sex from his wife he is labelled a bhikari (beggar), if he does not have sex with her, he is an atyachari (cruel man) and if somehow he manages to convince her through “jugaad”, he is branded a balatkari (rapist).
Bhumi Pednekar has finally opened up about the controversy in an interview with Zoom. “Pati, Patni Aur Woh is not a film that is taking a dig at marital rape. As actors, we need to be sensitive about things, but I think that the dialogue has gone out of context. This film is truly empowering to women,” she said.
“If Pati, Patni Aur Woh has hurt sentiments, we are truly sorry, but everyone who is involved with the film does not belong to that school of thought. The makers are very sensitive people.”Bhumi Pednekar, Actor
Bhumi also said that the remake is a modern take on the original Pati, Patni Aur Woh. “Our film is a modern take on relationships. Nothing is black and white or wrong and right. Mudassar Aziz himself said that ‘woh’ does not necessarily have to be a third person. It can be a situation, gap in a marriage or anything in a relationship. But if we have hurt any sentiments we are sorry,” Bhumi said, adding that everyone who is involved with the film does not belong to that school of thought.
The actor also opened up about the “brownface” criticism that her character Latika in Bala is facing. “Why the makers chose me or what they could have done creatively different is not in my control. It is the director’s vision and what we have to understand is that the people making Bala are very sensitive. They are trying to break beauty standards and the film is not at all condescending towards skin tone. In fact, it is the opposite,” Bhumi explained.
She also said that if brownface is an argument she shouldn’t have been cast in Dum Laga Ke Haisha also. “I understand that colour is a lot more sensitive than weight, but my intention of doing the character is the same as Saand Ki Aankh or Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Latika is a strong woman. She has battled with archaic societal standards and emerged victorious. If I let go of these opportunities, I will have nothing to do,” Bhumi told Zoom.
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