Mrs Undercover director recalls a technician kept saying 'cut' on sets, Radhika Apte had to interrupt

Writer and director of Mrs Undercover, Anushree Mehta, talks about her first film as a director, and more in this exclusive interview with Hindustan Times.

Filmmaker Anushree Mehta makes her directorial debut with the spy comedy Mrs Undercover. In this exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, she talks about the troubles she navigated while making the film, how Radhika Apte came on board, and much more. Before Mrs Undercover, Anushree wrote a few episodes of CID, and a few other projects. The new film is slated for a digital release on ZEE5 on April 14.

Anushree Mehta with Radhika Apte on sets of Mrs Undercover.

You have been writing, but this is your first project as a director. How different are things in terms of the way the team treats you, and the remuneration you get?

Misogyny is such a big part of our existence. And, it is not about India, it is a global phenomenon and both men and women are conditioned to be part of it. There are times when I need to check myself, how I perceive myself. And, I'd say Abir is the bigger feminist that way.

One day, we were shooting an intense part and it was late at night. This one gentleman, who was a technician, there was something going wrong in his department, and every time, he would say ‘cut’. I finally had enough as the time was running out and I had to shoot the scene. I told him ‘I am here to say cut, let me decide if it is okay or not. I think if a man was here, you wouldn't have dared to say this'. He did that when Radhika Apte and a senior Bengali actor were performing. Radhika immediately jumped in and said ‘she is right. Please do what you are supposed to do and do not interrupt her. Do not do this.’ Radhika and I were very much in sync (on sets) and fixing each other's crowns.

As a filmmaker, I am paid a certain amount of money, no matter how much time I spend on the project. The pay does not depend on the amount of work or time you invest. When I make my next film, (the pay) will depend on whether this one (Mrs Undercover) was a hit or not. I am grateful I got the money I requested for Mrs Undercover. I am happy and grateful that way, but I do see first timers, and two-three films old filmmakers around me (being paid that way). Recently, this studio said about a filmmaker I know: ‘Their last film was a flop, so we will not pay them as much’.

Where did the journey of Mrs Undercover begin?

It all began five years ago. I was a writer and producer then and wanted to start directing films. I have always wanted to tell masala, Hindi stories with social messages. When I narrated the story to Abir Sengupta - my business partner and the producer of this film - he was immediately onboard and said he'd produce it. He was busy with Indu Ki Jawani, so I wrote the film, completed and narrated the script to him on the last day of shoot for Indu Ki Jawani. He was impressed and asked me who I wanted to cast. I told him I wanted to narrate it to Radhika Apte. ‘I will be over the moon if she agrees to do the film’.

Abir then set up the meeting and we went to her house. Just five minutes into the narration, I had told what you see in the trailer and Radhika said, 'Anushree, I am doing the film. Batao, aage kya hota hai (tell me, what happens next)?'. I was obviously very happy.

What were your reference points for your lead character?

As you rightly said, the most interesting part of the trailer is the fact that the protagonist is a housewife who is also an undercover spy. Most of us have grown up in homes where our moms are homemakers. But we rarely know spies - I don't know a spy, I don't know anyone who knows a spy. That part is just a figment of my imagination. (It was my attempt at honouring) these women who are often told ‘you do nothing’ while they do the most important thing in our lives - nurturing. Their work has always been undermined. Earning money is somehow more important than the unpaid work they do. If the housewives stop (working), we will stop and our homes will stop (functioning). I wanted to celebrate all those women. She is Durga herself, yet she chooses to be with you. You should respect her for that. I amalgamated the comedy, action and masala that I always loved, with the social message I wanted to give into the film.

The imagery of Goddess Durga has been frequently used to portray strong women who emerge from our domestic set-ups. But Kaali's imagery - a fiercer form of the Goddess - is rarely used in our cinema. Why do you think that is so?

All these are forms of Durga Ma. It really depends on how we are projecting a certain character and what we want to relate it to. Our Goddess has a nurturing side, and a learned side, and a radura (fierce) side too (as Kaali Ma). A woman has everything, she has all sides and it depends on what side you bring out in her. For me, cliches always work. Familiarity is underrated. I want to be able to tell a story that makes you relate to it, yet also makes you think out of the box.

What was the toughest part of working on Mrs Undercover?

The difficult part was and is, that I am a woman filmmaker who wants to make action films. Some people are receptive to the idea, but many are not. As a first-time filmmaker, a first-time woman filmmaker who does not hail from a film family, or is not related to one. I am not the girlfriend or sister or daughter or wife of an influential man. I am just a simple, middle-class Gujarati girl from Mumbai wanting to make action films. There are people - both men and women, who have tried to make it difficult.