Lust Stories 3: Vishal Bhardwaj talks about love, desire and complicated stories

The trailer of “Lust Stories 3” has been unveiled, featuring four stories directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Shakun Batra, Vikramaditya Motwane and Kiran Rao. Starring Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vijay Varma and others, the anthology explores desire and relationships

Mumbai: The makers of “Lust Stories 3” on Wednesday unveiled the trailer of the upcoming anthology with filmmakers such as Vishal Bhardwaj, Shakun Batra, Vikramaditya Motwane and Kiran Rao contributing to stories talking about love, desire and complicated stories.

Lust Stories 3 brings together actors such as Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Radhika Madan, Sana Thampi, Vijay Varma, Abhishek Banerjee, Siddharth, Ali Fazal and Gurfateh Pirzada.

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The trailer offers audiences a glimpse into four very different stories, each carrying its own tone, rhythm and surprises, while remaining connected by a larger exploration of what people want, what they hold back and how those desires can shape the relationships around them.

The film will be balancing humour and chemistry with moments of vulnerability and introspection.

Vishal Bhardwaj said in a statement: “What fascinates me about desire is how deeply it is connected to imagination – to the stories we tell ourselves, and sometimes the stories we are afraid to tell out loud. I was drawn to the idea of exploring that space through a character finding her own voice and discovering what happens when that voice reaches beyond her.” “There’s humour, mischief and emotion in that journey, but also questions about identity, expression and who gets to tell stories about desire. That made this a particularly exciting story for me to explore.”

Bhardwaj said that being part of an anthology with three such distinctive filmmakers was a “wonderful creative experience, and Netflix gave all of us the freedom to tell these stories in our own way”

Talking about being a part of the anthology, Vikramaditya Motwane said: “What drew me to Lust Stories 3 was the chance to explore what happens when the comfort of everyday life begins to rub up against the desire for something unexpected, and this story allowed me to explore that space with warmth, humour and a little bit of unpredictability.” “Bringing it to life with the crew, the producers, Netflix, and with this madly gifted cast was an incredible experience.”

What interested Kiran Rao about this story was how the first sparks of an attraction can quickly become something far more complicated.

She added: “Desire makes us curious, and sometimes willing to take chances we normally wouldn’t. I was interested in what happens when those choices begin to have unexpected consequences.” “The anthology format, and the creative freedom Netflix gave us, allowed me to play with intimacy and humour. I really enjoyed finding that balance, letting the characters follow their impulses, and take us to surprising territory. I hope it’s a fun, unpredictable ride that keeps the audience on their toes.”

Shakun Batra said for him, the most interesting relationships are the ones where people don’t quite know what they’re feeling, or how to make sense of it. ‘Affection, insecurity, allure and frustration can all exist at the same time, often in ways that surprise us. I wanted to explore that emotional ambiguity with honesty, without judging the characters or trying to give them easy answers.” “There’s something inherently dramatic, and often quite funny, about watching people navigate those contradictions.”

Lust Stories 3 premieres September 18 on Netflix.