In a revelatory chat with Mid-day.com, filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee shares insights into his much-awaited film, ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2’ (LSD2). Fourteen years after causing a cinematic upheaval, Banerjee’s new installment arrives with the intent to scrutinize and portray the pervasive culture of social media. Unlike his presence or absence on these platforms, Banerjee seeks to adopt an outsider’s perspective to navigate the intricate web of virtual life.
Despite steering clear of social media himself, Banerjee has crafted a narrative that delves deep into society’s social media fixation. His detachment, as he believes, awards him the objectivity required to critique without falling prey to the biases that come with personal involvement. He explains how this distance from personal stakes in social media ensures a portrayal untouched by the very influences he seeks to examine.
Banerjee elaborates on the creative dichotomy he witnesses in social media—the freedom for individuals to construct and experience multiple personas across virtual platforms. He views this space as liberating and transformative, as reflected in his film’s portrayal of a transgender janitor who juggles her menial job with a flourishing virtual identity as a love guru on YouTube. This duality underscores his thematic focus on avatars and the manifold lives led by people in today’s digital era.
Yet, Banerjee’s perspective is not blindly utopian. LSD2 also aims to stir the audience, making them aware of a creeping fear that the depth of our virtual investments may ultimately lead to a profound societal disconnect. He finds the scenarios emerging from these virtual-real life juxtapositions to be as entertaining as they are perturbing.
The phenomenon of influencers forms a critical backdrop for the sequel. Banerjee reveals that an alternate title for LSD2 was ‘The Influence,’ highlighting the intricate dance of influence and followership that shapes the social media landscape. His fascination with the people-driven, ‘circular chase’ of influence is palpable as he discusses his take on influencer culture.
A challenge Banerjee faced was making the on-screen fiction resonate with reality. Given that audiences often shy away from gritty realism, he had to balance financial constraints with the ambitious attempt to capture the essence of virtual life. The solution, as he describes, was a bold leap into AI-generated sequences and animations culminating in a metaverse setting for the characters’ climactic convergence.
A particularly significant creative decision came with the casting of the character Noor, a transgender protagonist. Banerjee justifies casting a cisgender actor, Paritosh, due to the commercial risks associated with having two transgender leads. His rationale was supported by an intent to push boundaries while maintaining the film’s mainstream viability. However, in a twist of inclusivity, he also celebrates the film’s success in featuring transgender women in cisgender roles seamlessly.
Regarding distribution, Banerjee attributes the decision to forgo an OTT release in favor of theaters to producer Ekta Kapoor. She envisions LSD2 as a film that merits the big screen experience, despite the inherent financial and reputational risks. Kapoor, with a special attachment to the original LSD, views the sequel as a potential catalyst for new industry trends and provocations.
In conclusion, ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2,’ as divulged by Banerjee, is more than a mere follow-up. It’s an exploration of the chasm between our digital and physical selves—a cinematic enquiry into an era where avatars and influence wield tangible power. Banerjee’s nuanced understanding of social media’s role in our lives promises a film that’s not only current but also alarmingly prescient.
