Tisca Chopra earned a fame for her powerful performances in films like ‘Taare Zameen Par’ and ‘Qissa’. Now she is stepping into a new chapter of her career as a director. Her debut feature film, ‘Saali Mohabbat’ starring Radhika Apte is all ready to make its digital premiere on ZEE5 later this year. Prior to this, it had screenings at prestigious film festivals such as IFFI Goa and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival.
At its heart, ‘Saali Mohabbat’ is a story of love, lies and the thin line that separates trust from betrayal. The film follows Smita, who is a small-town housewife whose quiet and predictable life takes a dark and unexpected turn.
Tisca, speaking about her inspiration, shared, “I’ve always been fascinated by what lies beneath the surface of relationships. The power games, the silences, the invisible expectations. ‘Saali Mohabbat’ explores those fragile boundaries of love, betrayal, and identity but from a very female point of view.”
The cast features an impressive ensemble of Radhika Apte in the lead, alongside Divyendu Sharma, Anurag Kashyap, Anshumaan Pushkar, Sauraseni Maitra, and veteran actor Sharat Saxena.
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The project has backing of Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Production. For Manish, the film is more than just a production; it’s a passion project. “Stage5 was created to support stories that are original and crafted with care,” he said. “This film is one such story shaped with honesty, purpose, and deep creative involvement at every step.”
He praised the film’s cast and direction, saying the performances “don’t scream for attention but stay with you long after the screen fades.”
Tisca, in turn, credited Malhotra for his early belief in her vision. “When I narrated the story to him, within three minutes, he said yes,” she recalled. “That moment gave me the confidence that this film had found its true home. Manish and his team didn’t just back the project financially. They offered emotional and creative trust which allowed the film to stay raw and real.”
Radhika Apte, who has always talked about layered and unconventional roles, reunites with ZEE5 after her much-loved appearance in ‘Mrs. Undercover’.