Vishal Bhardwaj’s world of cinema is like a galaxy far away. It’s not for everyone; Its uniqueness stands out in the current landscape, as it often did when the filmmaker departed from his usually dark, gritty and Shakespearean style of cinema and dived into a more playful mood with his part in the recently released film. Kama’s stories 3.

What made his story special this time in the popular Netflix franchise was that it was helmed by real-life power couple Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth. The excitement automatically doubled as fans were eager to see their on-screen chemistry once again, this time as a married couple generously bringing their magic to the ‘female gaze’ at the center of the off-screen drama, a story of lust, a bit of love disorder, and role-reversal.

Trust Vishal Bhardwaj to always incorporate literature into his stories of love and lust, and this time, lust. his Kama’s stories 3 This part is the story of Saira (Aditi Rao Hydari), a conservative Urdu literature college teacher who is completely suffocating in her traditional marriage. Set against the backdrop of 1987 Hyderabad, Saira is not only the anonymous author of a hugely popular erotica bestseller, but her own desires slowly creep back into her marriage, eventually helping her reunite with her husband.

In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Vishal Bharadwaj opens up about what it was like working with Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth, who already share a comfort level as a couple. Most importantly, he shares his thoughts on one of the most debated topics, especially in a genre like this: the presence of proximity coordinators on set.

Speaking about the power couple, Vishal Bhardwaj says, “It really helped. But more than that, you know, they were both so professional. I didn’t think, you know, that they were married. The way they were behaving on set, they were sitting apart. He was in his zone. He was in his zone. He was very professional about his demeanor, which was very loving and touching.”

Interestingly, Aditi Rao Hydari was always going to be cast, but Siddharth became the director’s part. Kama’s stories 3 Volume later, almost as if it were written in the stars.

“I wrote this script and we approached Aditi and she was shooting for something. So she said she wouldn’t be able to, she wouldn’t be free to shoot. But then we got delayed. So Siddharth was never in the picture. Actually, he was in America. He was shooting a show in America. So we didn’t write them as a pair. So when Siddhar found out, I was sent back. The script, you know, can you read it? Ho and does it excite you and he accepted very kindly?

Was Vishal Bhardwaj supportive of proximity coordinators on set?

Vishal Bhardwaj opens up about how he was initially apprehensive about being a proximity coordinator on set. He thought they might stifle his creativity, but the result pleasantly surprised him.

The director recalls how professional the on-set proximity coordinators were. This was also one of the many reasons why the atmosphere made him forget that Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth were a married couple off-camera.

Vishal Bhardwaj shares, “I hadn’t worked with them. So I had a fear in my mind that they would take over my creativity. But I was completely 100, 200% wrong. They were so good, because they are trained for it, they create the environment so conducive, so professional that if they have to make love to two girls, they will show only one position and two girls in a position to make love. Show it, first. You feel like having fun, and then you forget because they’re doing it professionally.

He adds, “It’s so easy for them to communicate. When they go to a man, I mean, they’re very professional about it. So, I mean, it changed my perception completely, forever. I would never work without an intimacy coordinator if there were intimacy scenes involved because they’re so good. And they really make me feel comfortable. Otherwise, I’d be very conscious.”

One of the most talked about scenes in the story was the seduction scene seen in the dream. Siddharth had also told how the scene came to him in a dream, which he pitched to Bhardwaj and then accidentally shot with Aditi Rao Hydari.

Trust Vishal Bhardwaj to blend romance and poetry seamlessly, making the entire execution look like a painting on screen. And so it was, as audiences enjoyed a very different style of storytelling from the director, away from his usual dark noir templates and into a more light-footed psychological and romantic space.

Also read this | ‘Ali Fazal is going to be a big star’: Vishal Bhardwaj on of Mirzapur Blockbuster success