Shuchi Talati opens up on Richa Chadha’s role in Girls Will Be Girls; says, “Richa protected the film like a fierce lioness”

March 24, 2025 - 1:11 PM IST

Shuchi Talati, an emerging voice in Indian cinema, has made her directorial debut with Girls Will Be Girls, a film exploring female desire and repression through the story of a 16-year-old in a strict Himalayan boarding school. The film has earned her a Best Director nomination at the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards, one of Indian cinema’s most credible honors. Talati is nominated alongside Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light), Imtiaz Ali (Amar Singh Chamkila), Chidambaram (Manjummel Boys), and Dominic Sangma (Rapture). Produced by Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, Girls Will Be Girls has received recognition across multiple categories at the 7th Critics’ Choice Awards, presented by GroupM Motion Entertainment and the Film Critics Guild.

Shuchi Talati opens up on Richa Chadha’s role in Girls Will Be Girls; says, “Richa protected the film like a fierce lioness”

In a recent conversation with Film Critics Guild’s Vice Chairperson Sucharita Tyagi, Talati reflected on her journey with the film, the unpredictability of independent filmmaking, and the unwavering support of her producer, Richa Chadha.

Speaking about the unpredictable nature of filmmaking, she shared, “I wrote the first draft of the script in 2017. Sometimes, I think about making films the way people think about dating. Just because someone says, ‘Oh, I met the love of my life at a bar,’ doesn’t mean I will also meet the love of my life at that same bar. The path of each film is mysterious and idiosyncratic. It can come together quickly, or it can take a long time—you never really know what to expect. And that naivety, I think, is protective for first-time filmmakers.”

On her unexpected win at the Independent Spirit Awards, she added, “For whatever reason, I was convinced we were not going to win, so I went like that and thought I’d just hang out with Richa. Even as they were announcing the nominees, I was thinking, ‘I hope they don’t call me,’ because I had not prepared anything. The win was a true shock, but it felt amazing. I’m the kind of person who always moves the goalpost as soon as I arrive somewhere. For the first time, I had this moment of, like, ‘I don’t see any goalpost, I’ll just be here and enjoy it.’”

Talati also spoke about the critical role Richa Chadha played in ensuring the film stayed true to its vision. “Richa protected the film like a fierce lioness. She protected the vision as she understood it right from the beginning. When people were pushing for changes, she really fought for it, saying, ‘I’ve been in this business for years, I know what kind of actor Shuchi needs and what kind of actor this film needs.’ An investor pulled out three months before shooting. That was the moment she said, ‘I will put in my money.’ Even when people questioned it, we were on the same page creatively, and she always had my back. That kind of support gives you confidence as a director.”

Also Read : Richa Chadha announces second edition of Undercurrent Lab 2025 to empower more women in cinema, ahead of Women’s Day