Alia Bhatt on ‘Difficult Daughters’: It’s extra special to have my mom direct it

Alia Bhatt and Soni Razdan’s Difficult Daughters, adapted from Manju Kapur’s novel, is at Busan’s Asian Project Market. Alia called it “extra special” with her mother directing the period drama.

Mumbai: Mother-daughter duo Alia Bhatt and Soni Razdan’s Difficult Daughters is being presented at Busan’s Asian Project Market. The two spoke about their vision for the project, adapted from Manju Kapur’s acclaimed novel.

Set across two timelines, Difficult Daughters follows Virmati, the eldest of ten children in a traditional Punjabi household in 1940s Lahore. Determined to pursue education and love, she defies social norms, only to face consequences when she becomes the second wife of a married professor.

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In 2022, her granddaughter Simar struggles with a failing marriage and a secret affair; discovering Virmati’s hidden past forces her to confront her estranged mother, Ila.

Razdan told Variety that Kapur’s novel instantly sparked a visual reaction.

“When I read the book many years ago, it struck me as being very cinematically written. It evokes the inner landscape of the characters as well as the outer canvas,” she said, adding that she visualised the story long before deciding to adapt it for the screen.

She explained: “While a nation was on the verge of independence, we have a young girl fighting for the same rights… At its core, this is a personal story, or rather two stories, set in different time periods.”

Having previously starred in Yours Truly, which screened at Busan in 2018, Razdan returns this year as director with Difficult Daughters. She emphasised the need for authenticity: “1940s small-town Amritsar has to be recreated. Casting, costumes, set design and music are crucial to marrying past and present.”

Alia, head of Eternal Sunshine Productions, called the project both personal and aligned with her company’s ethos.

“At Eternal Sunshine, we look for stories that strike a deep chord and stay with audiences long after the film ends. ‘Difficult Daughters’ is undoubtedly one of those,” Alia said.

“Of course, it’s extra special to have my mom direct it, but what truly makes it stand out for me is the shared belief in this story. Busan is a beautiful first step in its journey, and we hope the film sparks conversations and connections wherever it goes — because stories like this don’t just belong to one place, they belong to everyone.”