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From social media platforms to digital media websites, Arati Kadav’s latest directorial, Mrs, is everywhere. Richa, played by Sanya Malhotra, is a character that many women can relate to, especially the mental load of feeding the family after marriage. It has shaken the foundation of patriarchal setup in many Indian households where the wings of daughters-in-law are clipped in the name of ‘looking after in-laws, husband, and children - definition of an ideal bahu.’
Released on February 7, 2025, on Zee5, the movie has beautifully weaved everyday North Indian dishes in almost every scene, a commendable job by the director. Mrs is an adaptation of The Great Indian Kitchen, which revolves around a Tamilian household, but Arati Kadav wanted to set it in North India, especially in a Kayastha household where most families enjoy a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. “Even though it’s not a food film, I wanted to do justice to the North Indian food. I wanted to bring in the influence of Lucknow,” she added.
Arati spoke to Saee Koranne-Khandekar, food consultant, cookbook author, and expert in Maharashtrian cuisine, and she continued speaking to people from Uttar Pradesh to understand the dishes that dominate the regional food scenes. “I kept asking them what unique delicacies are cooked at your home,” she said.
Shrey Gupta, Arati Kadav’s AD, introduced her to his grandmother, who is “an amazing chef” and loves to talk. She shared her experience of cooking and understanding of food native to the region.
Arati's research did pay off because when you see the North Indian tablescape in the beginning or close shots of Dum Pukht Biryani, Dal Pitha, Bharwan Karela, and Dal Ki Dulhan, you start slabbering. “I wanted food that was visually appealing and salivating while in sync with the story,” added the director.
Food Connected Mrs Emotionally With Audience
“I wanted to establish an emotional connection with the character [via food],” she said while explaining how each dish has a specific role or message to convey. If you have watched Mrs, you would remember that the first dish Richa cooked, in the absence of her mother-in-law, was bharwan karela. And the almond in tea was a personal touch added by Arati who once savoured the beverage at a Delhi tea lounge where they brewed it with badam slivers and saffron.
Arati shared that when the protagonist makes dal pitha, an elaborate and slightly complicated dish from Bihar, it was a bribe for her husband and father-in-law so they would agree to her request of working as a dance teacher in a school. She also makes dal ki dulhan, another Bihari dish, in which atta-shaped flowers are blossoming similar to her desire to do something in her life. These small nuances and Richa’s connection with food added depth to her character as well as the story.
Sanya Malhotra’s Personal Touches To Mrs’ Character
While Arati Kadav found inspiration for Richa in women around her - her friends, aunts, and cousins, she did make a conscious effort to change the psychology of Richa compared to the lead in The Great Indian Kitchen. The director added, “She [Richa] is young and eager to live her life, get married, happy to impress her husband, in-laws, and new family, and make a beautiful home out of what is provided to her.”
Richa is not only passionate about dancing, but she also wants to put in effort to make her marriage work. If you remember, she approaches her husband in a scene with a request to hire a maid only to be told that she was being unreasonable.
From an excited bride to a tired woman trying to keep up with increasing demands of her husband and in-laws, Sanya Malhotra has played Richa impeccably in every scene. You would think that one has to be comfortable with cooking to play a character like that, but you will be surprised to know that Sanya had to unlearn a few things.
While speaking about the process of preparing for the role, Arati shared, “Sanya can cook Japanese and Italian food. She can make round roti.” The director once went to the actor’s house to understand how much she can cook because though Richa is in a learning stage, she is familiar with Indian dishes and the basics of cooking. As a test, the actor fed her a perfectly cooked paratha.
If anything, Sanya was holding herself back in the film to not appear as a perfect home chef. However, post-cuts, the directors confessed that the actor used to make pakoras and sprinkle chaat masala. Arati added, “She [Sanya] takes joy in cooking, and adding jaggery or extra ghee in dishes was her personal touch to Richa’s dishes.”
Mrs BTS: Food! Fun! Action!
When putting the spotlight on all the BTS fun while shooting Mrs, Arati Kadav says, “It was so much fun!” The director shared that capturing the North Indian tablescape was the most amazing experience. She shared an anecdote of her food stylist who would go around to get things ready and indulge in the dishes that were being cooked. “Jitna table ke oopar ta khana, utna ya usse zada to pet ke andar ta,” she added.
In another instance, Kadav asked for a dish to be circulated around the crew before it came to her. By the time it was her turn, the plate was empty. “We got a special peda from Agra. As soon as I said cut, it was khatam [everybody ate it],” she added.
One inference you can make from the film is the director is a foodie. You cannot be immaculate if you don’t share a love and passion for food. Arati Kadav confessed that among several dishes featured in Mrs, Bharwan Karela is her favourite, and it is a must-cook in her home at least once a week. She had never tried Dal Ki Dulhan before it was made in one of the scenes of the film, and she loved the flavours. “It was so good,” she added.
It’s safe to assume that nobody stressed about bringing food from home while working on the sets because tables were always brimming with snacks, main courses, and desserts. Mrs crew not only made memories while working together but also enjoyed the food fest on sets.
