Swara Bhasker, Divya Dutta to play lesbian lovers in Sheer Kurma

Swara Bhasker and Divya Dutta will play lesbian lovers in their upcoming film, Sheer Kurma. The film is the directorial debut of Faraz Arif Ansari and also features Surekha Sikri, who won critical acclaim for her role in last year’s hit Badhaai Ho (2018). 

Ansari was executive producer on Amole Gupte’s Stanley Ka Dabba (2011) in which Dutta played the pivotal role of a teacher.

Speaking about her association with Sheer Kurma, Dutta said in an official statement, “I have worked with him [Ansari] previously and I know what he has to offer. For me, this is not just a film. It’s a story about relationships — including this woman’s with her family and her partner, which is something that needs to be talked about amid all the taboos that exist in our society. I took up this role because I wanted to challenge myself as an actor and discover another side of me.”

Dutta was all praise for her co-stars. “I am in good hands, as I have Swara and Surekhaji as my co-actors, who are equally fabulous. I always wanted to share the screen with them. It is going to be lovely to bring in all the emotions of women who are in this and find a way to strike a balance in society,” she said. 

Ansari said he cast the two actresses partly because of their support for the queer movement. “Divya and Swara are two celebrated names in the industry and strong allies of the LGBTQIA+ community. It was an easy decision to approach them. In fact, when I started writing the film, I had Divya in mind and already saw her playing this role,” he said.