PremiumShakeela out on OTT: Here's where you can watch Richa Chadha-starring biopic on streaming
Shakeela showcases Richa Chadha bringing to life the complicated legacy of a controversial star.
Last Updated: 04.03 PM, Jun 29, 2024
In 2020, Richa Chadha released Shakeela, a biopic of the 1990s adult cinema star who worked in a variety of Indian languages. The film has now entered the world of OTT and is available to stream on ShemarooMe (also on OTTplay Premium). Directed and written by Indrajit Lankesh, the film also features Pankaj Tripathi and Rajeev Pillai in supporting roles.
Shakeela story overview
Shakeela, based on a true story, is a biopic of an adult South Indian actress that follows her journey from her modest upbringing in a small village in southern India to her triumphs and tragedies in her turbulent acting career.
Earlier, while talking about Shakeela, Richa said in an interview with Latestly that the adult star had no interest in becoming an actress or a famous star. Thus, the question of whether or not to celebrate her achievement is moot, as doing so would require admitting that you had watched those films, something that no one was willing to do.
Central issue of the film
Richa further explained that, after a certain point in Shakeela's career, she may have used a body double for every scene because she was someone who knew that people would watch her films but would never admit it publicly. This is the film's central issue, and it's basically society's hypocrisy.
Both the movies and fame were things that Shakeela despised. In order to provide for the family, her mother insisted that she work in this field. She had unfettered access to this world because her mother was a junior artist. Shakeela's motivation, however, was primarily financial gain because she lacked enthusiasm for this line of work. It dawned on her that her role was to assist with expenses and take care of her family. She saw it as merely her duty.
Richa Chadha's approach to the character
Richa also told India Today that the character was difficult to get a handle on. Her only goal was to make Shakeela more relatable, so that viewers could see themselves reflected on TV. When one meets her, they will find that she is a lively, naive, and friendly person. It was important to the actor that her performance reflected this. Shakeela has a tense relationship with her family because they took advantage of her and "milked" her. She aimed for an authentic portrayal of that. Abuse in any form, but especially by a parent—the person one trusts the most—can leave an indelible mark on their lives, which presents its own set of difficulties.