As Masaan turns 10, Shweta Tripathi discusses why it's relevance will never fade

India Today

24-07-2025

Tu kisi rail si guzarti hai, main kisi pull sa thartharata hoon! These lines stay with you when you watch director Neeraj Ghaywan's hit film, 'Masaan'. The film, starring Richa Chadha, Vicky Kaushal, and Shweta Tripathi in the lead, created a tapestry of bruised and broken lives set against a 5,000-year-old backdrop: the city of Varanasi (Banaras). As the movie clocked a decade, Shweta Tripathi looked back on her journey with the film in an exclusive interaction with IndiaToday.in.advertisementWhile talking to us, the actor got nostalgic and shared how the film remains socially relevant even after 10 years. Tripathi, who marked her debut with the movie, said, 'The film is socially relevant, it was relevant in the past, it's relevant today, and it will continue to be relevant in the future because we bring about change through art and storytelling. It's important to keep doing this, whether it's creating cracks where needed or filling them to heal; the idea is to make people feel. I consider this an ongoing process, and I feel lucky, happy, blessed, and all things amazing that 'Masaan' chose me. This is something I deeply believe in.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shweta Tripathi (@battatawada)
She added, 'Our society still has this common mindset - if a woman talks about pleasure, the reaction is very different. Pleasure, after all, is such a natural and beautiful thing. Devi's (Richa Chadha) character simply wants to explore that curiosity, yet she's punished for it. Back then, I had no idea about everything we were trying to portray in the movie, which is why I love my younger self.'The actor, who portrayed Vicky Kaushal's love interest, Shalu, in the film, fondly recalled the moment they learned about the movie's premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival and the overwhelming love it would go on to receive.'We were in Varanasi when we got the news, and it was introducing Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathi to the big screen. First love is first love, but jo hota hai (whatever happens), we were very calm. We didn't know what to expect, and then just the wave of love and appreciation that came, everything is really special for us,' she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shweta Tripathi (@battatawada)Tripathi laughed, reminisced about the beautiful phase of her career, and got emotional in the interview. The actor went on to play prominent roles in projects like 'Mirzapur' and 'Raat Akeli Hai' after 'Masaan' reflected on one of the prominent scenes from the film. It was filmed alongside Kaushal and pictured the two enjoying a local fair.advertisementShe said, "'Masaan' is like that laal gubbara (a symbol of innocent, budding love in the scene) throughout my life. In fact, in that scene (the fair), we performed without looking at our dialogues. I understood Shalu. Every day, I used to wear bangles and bindi - I became Shalu. I even got attached to poetry because of Shalu, because she was introduced to the same in the film.'While 'Masaan' shows a city wrapped in traditions, and also makes several cinematic commentaries on love, class and culture, it also remains a poignant take on love that's innocent and resilient. The film's story unfolds along India's sacred river Ganga, following four individuals bound by a rigid moral code as they confront societal prejudice.This award-winning film weaves together two heart-wrenching tales, focusing on Deepak (Vicky Kaushal), who falls in love with an upper-caste girl, Devi (Richa Chadha). It also features Sanjay Mishra, Pankaj Tripathi and Vineet Kumar, among others, in important roles. The film was written by Varun Grover, and produced by Anurag Kashyap.- Ends
IN THIS STORY#Vicky Kaushal