Filmmaker Arati Kadav on why ‘Mrs.’ is influenced by the story of every Indian woman, including hers

Sanya Malhotra-starrer Mrs., an adaptation of the Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen, is director Arati Kadav’s take on the many manifestations of patriarchy, primarily the invisible female labour in the kitchen. 

After receiving rave reviews at international film festivals like the New York Indian Film Festival, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Mrs. released on OTT platform Zee5 on February 7, 2025. 

Since its release, the film has struck a chord with women across age groups, who find themselves confined to household chores and are unable to break free from societal constraints. 

It was a huge transition for Kadav, who has earlier directed sci-fi films like Cargo. But something “felt right” about taking on this project, says the filmmaker. 

In a candid chat, Kadav takes us through the filming of Mrs., the expectations and challenges in making an adaptation, and more. 

Edited excerpts from the interview:  

YS Life [YSL]: How did you decide to take up Mrs.? 

Arati Kadav [AK]: One day, the producer of Mrs., Harman Baweja, called me to discuss a project. He had watched The Great Indian Kitchen and was so moved by it that even asking for a glass of water from his wife seemed a lot. 

He said, “If someone like me who is a woke and feminist guy is so blind to this invisible labour that women go through, I don’t think others can see it.” That’s why he wanted to adapt the film for a North Indian audience. 

YSL: Since it’s a cult film with a powerful narrative, how challenging was it to adapt it? 

AD: Since I am a sci-fi filmmaker and have a different approach towards my work, I was previously unsure if I should go ahead with it. But then a thought crossed my mind—why should I shy away from a strong character drama when the intent and internal compass of the producer feels right? 

Co-writers Harman (Baweja) and Anu Singh Choudhary wanted Mrs. to be as close to the original. As a director, I felt it is a nuanced-based film; a micro surgery on your everyday life. It was all about understanding the subtext of kitchen politics. That's how I started bringing my point of view to it. 

YSL: Is it why you set it up in a doctor’s family? 

AK: Yes, I wanted the characters to be a part of a middle to lower middle class house. My mother’s extended family is full of doctors. I have seen how the males are treated like god, while the women of the house are relegated to the sidelines as in most cases. They have to work harder and be in the kitchen since many guests come home, expecting free treatment. I tried to add these nuances to the film. 

YSL: How do you maintain a delicate balance between portraying a certain subject with deftness yet making it accessible to audiences? 

AK: I wanted to make this film with massive responsibility and honesty, that’s what I did. While originals have a certain purity, my job clearly was to make it more accessible. The Malayali audience is far more evolved, so for them the cinematic language of The Great Indian Kitchen works. But if I have to show it to my mother, she won’t be able to sit through it after 10-15 minutes. 

I was aware I was setting myself up for a huge challenge. But my target audience were women for whom The Great Indian Kitchen was not accessible. 

YSL: The majority of Mrs.’ crew was women. Was that a conscious decision to present the film through a female gaze? 

AK: I had to internalise the story. This is a subject where I didn’t have to go out and research, these things happen in our homes. It's a film that speaks to you at a very personal level. 

Since the crew was mostly women, except the art director, the details in the film—like the etchings in the mirror and the recurring flower motif—brought in a certain aesthetic. Also, it wasn’t just about presenting a certain imagery, but the film also reflected Richa’s (Sanya Malhotra) mother-in-law’s aesthetics. 

YSL: How different has the departure from sci-fi been? 

AK: I am a big sci-fi enthusiast and will continue to stay one. This was a detour because the story really worked for me. When I tell a story, there has to be something about it that touches me. 

The filmmaking tools were the same, but there’s a different approach. When you are doing sci-fi, you place the concept above the character. But for a character drama, the character is above the concept. This learning will feed into my sci-fi stories too. 

YSL: Where does your love for sci-fi stem from?

AK: It comes from Indian mythology. As a child, I would read a lot of these books and then stories, and get enamoured by the magic in them. When you deep dive into Indian mythology, it’s great. When I was young, there would be so many story writing competitions and I would always choose complex mythological stories. It would win all awards. Somehow, that encouraged me. 

YSL: What projects are in the pipeline? 

AK: I am working on a sci-fi story with Deepa Motwane and another mainstream sci-fi filmmaker with Sumit Purohit.