'We are from a country...', Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal broke FDs for 'Girls Will Be Girls'

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's Pushing Buttons Studios debuted with Girls Will Be Girls, an Indo-French drama now on Amazon Prime Video. Despite funding challenges, the film has earned critical acclaim

Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have founded Pushing Buttons Studios to support filmmakers needing financial assistance for their projects. Their maiden venture, Girls Will Be Girls, recently premiered and is now available on Amazon Prime Video, receiving widespread appreciation from viewers. However, the journey of producing the film posed several challenges for the couple.

In a conversation with SCREEN, Ali Fazal explained that being from a country known for its resourceful "jugaad" spirit, they found unconventional ways to fund the project. He revealed that they sought financial help from various sources and even used their fixed deposits to bring the film to life. Despite the hurdles, the actor expressed satisfaction with the film’s release and the positive reception it has garnered from audiences.

Richa Chadha emphasized the significance of collaboration in filmmaking. She shared that the movie was edited in France and benefited from a grant due to its core concept. Ali added that their studio welcomes collaborations and aims to produce more such films to reach wider audiences.

Written and directed by Shuchi Talati, the Indo-French coming-of-age drama is set in a boarding school in a Himalayan town in North India. The film features newcomers Kesav Binoy Kiron, Preeti Panigrahi, and Kani Kusruti in lead roles. It was produced by Pushing Buttons Studios in collaboration with Dolce Vita Films and Crawling Angel Films. The film has received accolades from the industry, with stars like Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan sharing their positive reviews shortly after its release.

Richa Chadha, who was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazar, is now preparing for her upcoming film, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, alongside Pankaj Tripathi and Shriya Pilgaonkar. Her future projects also include Covid Stories, directed by Abhishek Acharya and Raj Rishabh.

Meanwhile, Ali Fazal, widely known for his role in Mirzapur, has an exciting slate of films. He will appear in Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino, co-starring Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sensharma, Pankaj Tripathi, and Fatima Sana Shaikh. Additionally, he will share the screen with Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the period fantasy thriller Rakht Brahmand, directed by Raj & DK, which promises a unique cinematic experience. Other projects in his lineup include Lahore 1947 and Thug Life.