Alia Bhatt on domestic violence in Darlings: We’re not ever making fun of the subject

With Darlings, Alia Bhatt makes her debut as a producer, and the film will premiere globally on Netflix on August 5 through her Eternal Sunshine Productions. The movie pulls off the impossible task of addressing a serious subject with a dark comedic tint without being insensitive, with the lead actor also starring as a victim of domestic abuse who chooses to take matters into her own hands. The film is written by Jasmeet K. Reen, Parveez Sheikh, and Vijay Maurya, and is directed by debutante Reen.

Talking about the film, Bhatt told Variety that it's a very narrow rope into being insensitive the moment one realises they are walking a very delicate line. They never make fun of the matter, and anything related to domestic violence or abuse is never treated lightly. Characters that are exceedingly lighthearted and eccentric tend to believe they are in complete control when they are, in fact, in control of nothing. That's where the humour really starts to show and it resembles a comedy of errors more.

Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, and Roshan Mathew are also featured in the cast.

Bhatt says she absolutely loved the script when it was delivered to her by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment. The actor said that one very rarely comes across a script or a tale that is so personal, yet at the same time has so many nuances and levels. That's what got her so excited to be a part of the universe, but she also got the feeling that she could go further and become a producer on the movie because it just felt like the appropriate time to begin that journey.

Red Chillies and Eternal Sunshine jointly produced the movie, and Bhatt calls the experience wonderful and says it made her feel safe to have such a seasoned production team plan the logistics of the shoot.

The actor said that the team handled everything so effortlessly, and they would just let her know and keep her updated so that she could focus on the acting because she was on set and she had to be flowing creatively. Bhatt thinks that it's been such a basic, beautiful partnership, and she is incredibly grateful for that.

Darlings is premiering on Netflix on August 5, 2022.