Script of fourth season of Aani Kay Hava? is ready, says Varun Narvekar

Varun Narvekar, who made his feature film debut with Muramba (2017), a refreshing take on modern relationships, is back with the third season of his web-series Aani Kay Hava? in which the married couple Jui (Priya Bapat) and Saket ( Umesh Kamat) try to navigate their daily lives and cope with the lockdown while trying to find out new ways to keep their relationship exciting.

In an exclusive interview, the director spoke about his writing process and his experience of working with Kamat and Bapat.

Narvekar revealed that it was Radio Mirchi that came to him with the concept of making a show on celebrity couples. "They had done this web-series in Telugu and were now looking to do it Marathi. They had seen my film Muramba and thought I would be the best choice to handle this show. When they approached me, I couldn't think of anyone other than Umesh and Priya. They were my first choice. Radio Mirchi also agreed. I had seen Priya's work and she is a fantastic actress. And Umesh has one of the best comic timings I have seen. So I wrote the script keeping these two in mind," he said.

The filmmaker said that because each episode explores different aspects of the couple's life, one has to choose subjects that are relatable for the common people. "But just making it relatable is not enough, as a writer, I also wanted to give the audience something new. "There are certain topics that are rarely discussed by married couples. In the first season finale, we showed Jui and Saket talking about their ex-boyfriend and girlfriend. In the second season finale, they discussed whether or not to have a child. And in this season, we have one episode about periods. This show gave me a rare opportunity to write something which is light and funny but also thought-provoking," he said.

Another thing that stands out in all three seasons is the funny yet realistic dialogue. "It comes naturally with the topics. In the first two seasons, we had chosen such topics that humour became an integral part of the script. I can always find humour even in a serious situation and it also reflects in my writing," he said.

Narvekar's unique style that combines the comedic and the mundane is inspired by popular Marathi writer DB Mokashi. "The way he writes and lays out the story and each character is really inspiring. I try to adopt that in my work, I know I'll probably never be as good as him but I still try. After Aani Kay Hava? many people have told me that I'm quite good at writing stories about couples. I had also done a few advertisements where the relationship was the main focus. But if I have to be honest, I don't set out to write about relationships. I just want to tell a good story. But invariably I end up writing about relationships," he said.

So far, the series revolves only around Saket and Jui while occasional appearances from other characters take place. But in the fourth season, viewers will learn more about the world that they inhabit. "Up until now, Jui and Saket's world is limited to only them. And this is a reality for many couples who live alone in big cities. Outside of their relationship, they don't have many people with whom they can interact. So we have to write keeping this in mind. But we will try to show Jui and Saket's world outside of their relationship in the fourth season. The script is ready. If we get a good response to the third season we will soon start working on the next one," the director said.

We have gotten quite used to the liberal and sometimes unnecessary use of expletives in web shows. But all three seasons of Aani kay Hava? have steered away from such language, and it was a deliberate choice. "The dialogues depend on characters and Jui and Saket never require the use of such language," he said.

It's been more than four years since Nevrekar's Muramba was released and he has started working on his next feature film. "After corona, things have become quite uncertain especially in the movie-making business so it's a little too early to say anything," he said.