A fresh cast was crucial'

Shortly after securing the sole position as India's international competitor with her film, director Kiran Rao appeared at the India Today Conclave to speak about the creative considerations behind Laapataa Ladies. The comedy film, produced by Rao, Aamir Khan, and Jyoti Deshpande, has successfully qualified for the 2025 Oscars race.

"The story spoke to me particularly because it was the story of two girls searching for their freedom, their opportunity, and their voice," shared Rao. "Stories like that interest filmmakers like me because we don't often see films for women and by women. It's exceedingly important that we invest much more in stories helmed by women."

Rao mentioned being keenly interested in women's experiences, emphasising the need to raise awareness about issues that are seldom discussed. She spoke about employing certain elements to make this story work like it was intended to.

"Not having a star cast was important to both Aamir and me," she explained. We felt that if the story was rooted in organic experiences, it would be much more believable and enjoyable, and that was one of the things that the audience responded to the most. You don't know who these people are, so you're able to immerse yourself in the world."