Kiran Rao is currently basking in the joy of her film Laapataa Ladies being selected as India’s official entry for Oscars 2025. The film starring new faces Sparsh Shrivastava, Nitanshi Goel, and Pratibha Ranta received critical acclaim and wide recognition across the world. Director Kiran Rao has now revealed why she chose to star fresh talents instead of leading actors. She also shared how she integrated women's struggles in different life phases into the film but with humor.

Talking about why she risked casting budding actor Kiran claims that worked in her favour. She said, “We felt that keeping the story rooted and organic would make it far more believable and enjoyable. I think that's one of the key reasons the audience responded so well to it. With a completely fresh cast, people didn’t recognise the actors, allowing them to forget and fully immerse themselves in the world of the film. That worked in our favour.”

She further added, "We put a lot of thought into how to integrate the everyday struggles women face at different stages of their lives into the story. But we wanted to do it through humour because no one wants a lecture when they go to the cinema. I genuinely believe humour is one of the best ways to tackle some of the most uncomfortable issues. The premise itself—a mix-up of two women on a train due to their ghunghats (veils)—was so absurd, it naturally lent itself to comedy." 

Laapataa Ladies is a heartwarming simple and original story set in the backdrop of a village where two newlywed brides are swapped. The film left viewers heartfelt and emotional. Directed by Kiran Rao, the film is backed by Aamir Khan under his company Aamir Khan Productions in association with Kindling Pictures, and Jio Studios. The film released in theaters in March 2024, didn’t make profitable business but grabbed eyeballs and recognition after digital release on Netflix.