Exclusive Interview: Shlok Sharma on his directorial Two Sisters and a Husband premiered at Tribeca

Shlok Sharma is being applauded because of his stellar work in Two Sisters and a Husband. The movie has made its way to the Tribeca Film Festival as India’s official entry in the category of International Narrative Competition. The Shlok Sharma directorial marks the only movie that will be representing India at Tribeca this year.

The movie had its World Premiere in New York at the prestigious film festival. During the premiere, Shlok Sharma walked the red carpet with the leading actors of the movie, Avani Roy and Manya Grover. Speaking in an interview, Shlok opened up that it was an absolute honour to have his movie premiered at the Tribeca and that he couldn’t have asked for a better platform for the film. Not only did Sharma direct the movie, but he also co-wrote it with Shilpa Shrivastava and co-produced it under the banner of Fundamental Pictures along with Anurag Kashyap.

The movie revolves around a love story that has gone awry. The characters stay under one roof and are in a constant struggle to run away from the prying eyes of society. Meanwhile, they also struggle with their own chaos.

Tell us a little about your casting choice for Two Sisters and a Husband?

When I started writing, it was 2013, just after Haramkhor. After working with an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, it is very difficult to find that glint of passion in someone else. The moment I finished the first draft, the most obvious choice for Rajat was Nawazbhai. But by the time we went on the floor it was March 2020, just before the pandemic. By now several drafts were done and I knew that I wanted someone who didn’t have any preconceived image/ impression before playing Rajat. When I met Dinker, he had done a few projects but not as the main lead. What we were looking for Rajat, no one could have done it better than Dinker, playing every bit of that part that we had in mind.

Avani is a documentary filmmaker. We knew for Tara we needed someone whose silences would hold the screen and had the gravitas to say a thousand words with her eyes. With Manya, I had done an ad with her, which was a montage where she was playing a minuscule part. Back then too, she had the same intensity as innocence on her face. Which is what exactly Amrita is.

What is the crux, the theme of your story?

It’s a love story gone wrong. It is the story of two siblings who land themselves in an unusual and unheard-of situation.

What do you hope audiences take away from your movie?

I want them to come into their world, and watch them and their journey without judging them.

What is the most overwhelming response regarding the film that you’ve gotten from the film industry?

It’s too early to say. The journey has just begun