With Mimi and Dukaan, Bollywood explores themes of surrogacy once again

With a growing demand for fresh stories, storytellers have started exploring topics that bring fresh perspectives to the screen. One addition seems to be stories on surrogacy.

At some point, it was almost a taboo to discuss the topic, on or off the screen. With mindsets as well as platforms of exhibition opening up with the advent of OTT, Bollywood filmmakers no longer shy from dealing with the subject in a fictional manner.

Mimi, starring Kriti Sanon, is one film based on the subject of surrogacy that has been creating a buzz. The film, a Hindi remake of the Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy, will see Sanon playing a young surrogate mother in the film. Sanon had even undergone body transformation for her role, putting on 15 kilos. Apart from Sanon, the film slated to release later this year features Pankaj Tripathi, Manoj Pahwa and Supriya Pathak.

Another film, Dukaan, directed by Siddharth and Garima, will feature Monika Panwar, who made a mark with web series Jamtaara, in the lead role. The poster released recently sees Panwar as a heavily pregnant village girl with a barcode attached to her belly. The film is slated for a 2022 release.

There was also a talk about a film being made on male surrogacy by Raaj Shandilyaa, but nothing concrete has come of it yet.

The subject, of course, has been dealt with over the years. Meghna Gulzar made Filhaal in 2002, starring Sushmita Sen, Tabu, Sanjay Suri and Palash Sen. Salman Khan starred in Abbas-Mustan's Chori Chori Chupke Chupke in 2001, with Preity Zinta and Rani Mukerji.

But there was a problem back then, two decades ago. For one, the subject did not find favour with the audience. Plus, there was an issue with the films, too. Filhaal seemed too offbeat for the general taste to reach out to the wider audience. Chori Chori Chupke Chupke did reach out to the wider audience thanks to star power, but it was too much of a Salman Khan package, using the subject of surrogacy to merely create a love triangle of sorts between its three stars.

Now, Bollywood is attempting to revive the topic and introduce it to an all-new audience, though cautiously. As of now, there are only two films on the subject. The box office show of Mimi and Dukaan would perhaps decide if newer stories will be explored around the subject of surrogacy.