Jeo Baby on Hindi remake 'Mrs': I'm glad my film's concept is being discussed again'

Director-actor Jeo Baby whose film 'The Great Indian Kitchen' opened a lot of discussions on gender parity and how women are exploited mentally and physically in their own homes is elated with the success of 'Mrs', the Hindi remake of the movie.

The director told Onmanorama he is happy that the Sanya Malhotra-starrer directed by Arati Kadav has once again opened discussions about the issue. "To be honest, I have not seen the movie yet, but I am hearing a lot of positive reviews about 'Mrs'. I am glad that my concept and the issues discussed in the film have gained national attention," he said.

He also addressed the criticisms from men's associations calling 'Mrs' a highly toxic feministic movie. "These discussions have always existed. Even when 'The Great Indian Kitchen' was released, my film faced a lot of criticism from people in Kerala who claimed that the film was anti-men. What is important is that such issues are discussed," he said.

'The Great Indian Kitchen', which went on to receive the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film and screenplay, was also appreciated for the performances of its lead stars, especially Nimisha Sajayan. The movie went on to be remade in Tamil in 2023 by R Kannan featuring actor Aishwarya Rajesh in the lead. 'Mrs' was a direct-to-OTT release with the film streaming on Zee 5. Initially, the filmmaker Arati faced backlash for failing to give proper credit to 'The Great Indian Kitchen' in the credits of the trailer. However, the makers soon rectified the issue.

In one of her previous interviews, Arati known for her work in 'Cargo' had said she had engaged in extensive conversations with women from various walks of life—housewives, working professionals, mothers, and young girls, for the film. The film explores themes of womanhood, identity, and relationships, offering an authentic and compelling cinematic experience. The ensemble cast also features veteran actor Kanwaljeet Singh, along with Nishant Dahiya and Siya Mahajan.