Ekta Kapoor to present 'Lipstick Under My Burkha'

Ekta Kapoor will be presenting Alankrita Shrivastava's Lipstick Under My Burkha, which will release on July 28. "Ekta is someone who has always done some path-breaking work and with a lot of her women characters, she's inverted the power structure on television, making the woman protagonist the epicenter of power," producer Prakash Jha said in a statement.

"She's a strong and dynamic studio head. In that sense she has a strong feminist pulse." Director Alankrita Shrivastava is ecstatic that Ekta Kapoor's Alt Entertainment will present and distribute the movie. She says the film deserves the best release and a wide audience.

"I am thrilled that Ekta Kapoor's Alt Entertainment will be presenting and distributing Lipstick Under My Burkha. It's going to be fun to promote and release the film." "I really believe that the film needs to reach a wider audience," Shrivastava said.

The movie, which has done its fair share of festival rounds, was caught in a mess with the censor board deeming it too "lady oriented" in content, laced with sexual scenes and abusive words. After a long battle with the censor board, the makers finally received a certificate for release following Film Certification Appellate Tribunal's directive last week.

"We have fought so hard to be allowed to screen this film legally in theatres, it deserves the best release," Shrivastava said.

"Films by women, about women and through women's eyes need to be made and watched. I think the theatrical release of Lipstick Under My Burkha in India is a moment of celebration for all women in India."

"Why should women's stories of love, sex, secrets and rebellion not be screened and watched widely? Let's claim our right to watch 'lady-oriented' films," she added. Ekta said she is proud to present the film which "celebrates women and their sexuality".

"I entered the screening knowing I was going to watch a well-appreciated film, but not only was I totally blown away by the content, I felt it was both credible and entertaining. Rarely do we have credible entertainers that stimulate the mind and are peppered with spunk and humour. 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' is a film that celebrates women and their sexuality. I'm proud to present the film," Ekta said.

The film, starring Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkana Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, was in news after the CBFC objected for it being "lady-oriented". The film won the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Oxfam Award for the Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival.