‘The flak is knee-jerk reaction’

Filmmaker Shonali Bose, known for movies such as Margarita with a Straw and Sky Is Pink, has defended her latest project, Ziddi Girls, saying it is the outcome of her years at Delhi University, where she was allowed to blossom as an individual.

The show found itself neck-deep in controversy as soon as its trailer dropped. A coming-of-age story of young female students set in a fictional college named Mathilda House, it drew the ire of the faculty and students of Delhi’s prestigious Miranda House. The protesters alleged that the show portrayed the college in a bad light, and were particularly offended by the line ‘students instead of studies, engaged in adult content.’ However, the makers have now removed that line.

Bose, a former alumna of the institution, said, “This show was done with research across several colleges. Perhaps the reactions came because we shot it in Miranda House. It’s not about that college. It’s about any women’s college anywhere. Any young woman in any part of India will relate to the issues these girls face. I stand by what I say. It’s my way of paying a massive tribute to my college, and I am grateful to everyone who trusted me to shoot it there.”

Describing the protests as a classic knee-jerk reaction to a trailer, she added, “Two minutes can never tell you what an eight-part series is. People who have watched the show, including former alumni, have loved it, calling it a sign of the times. For me, my college days were the blossoming of my individuality.”

The series is the story of five girls who embark on a journey of self-discovery as they navigate personal challenges, and find their voices amongst the chaos. Actors Revathy, Simran and Nandita Das play faculty members who shape the impressionable minds.

Rangita Pritish Nandy, the show’s producer, said it was about defeating labels. “All my life I was criticised for having an opinion. It was a pleasure to own my ziddiness (stubbornness).”