Aditya Kripalani on spotlighting mental health in his latest film: ‘Mainstream cinema has shied away from suicide as a subject’

Kripalani — known for Tikli and Laxmi Bomb and Tottaa Pataaka Item Maal — spoke to indianexpress.com about his hard-hitting work, a first in a quintet of lonely men, and shared his motivation for making the film, why he chooses to focus on men, the response to the film since its release, and the filming process. Read the edited excerpts below:

Q: Congratulations! Not Today is now out for the world to see. How does it feel when you put your work in the audience’s hands?

Aditya Kripalani: It feels great. The film is finally reaching people. Someone commented on YouTube saying, “Thank you, your film has saved a life.” I don’t know what that person was going through or what that meant, but it’s a big thing to say. It’s clear the film is resonating with people and addressing the topic of suicide in a much-needed way.

Q: What led to the conceptualisation of Not Today? Tell us about the storyline — does it draw from real-life incidents? And, tell us about the beautiful title.

Aditya Kripalani: The title is straightforward –– we all have to face death someday, it doesn’t have to be today. Like the whole idea of the semicolon. There is a pause, it’s not the end. And, it’s the need of the hour.

 

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Q: Why ‘suicide prevention’, and why now? What about the subject compelled you to tell the story?

Aditya Kripalani: In over 130 years of Indian cinema, especially Hindi cinema, there are very few films that deal with suicide seriously. It’s time we have more films on this topic so that when someone feels low, they have something to watch and emotionally connect with.

Q: You’ve shared that it took nearly five years to complete the film. Tell us about the research that went into it, and where it took you.

Aditya Kripalani: I spoke to many counsellors and suicide prevention therapists from different countries, including Singapore. I learned that there are various schools of thought in suicide prevention. Some believe you should share a bit of yourself to encourage the other person to open up, while others argue that sharing personal information isn’t healthy for the counsellor. We explored both schools of thought in the film.

Q: Did you have a mental health expert on board for guidance? How did you ensure the film didn’t trigger those battling suicidal thoughts?

Aditya Kripalani: Yes, we consulted my therapist Pallavi Ullal, and Mahima Gupta Didwania, a clinical psychologist in Singapore, during the scriptwriting process. We also visited Samaritans in Dadar, Mumbai’s largest suicide prevention center, to understand their process. While we didn’t share the script with them, their input was invaluable in ensuring sensitivity.

Rucha Inamdar plays a 24-year-old girl secretly working as a suicide prevention counsellor in the film.

Q: Many films depict suicidal tendencies, but few show how it can be prevented or the importance of seeking help. What’s your take on the power of mainstream cinema to influence people, yet not highlighting such a pertinent topic?

Aditya Kripalani: Mainstream cinema has always cowered or shied away from suicide as a subject because they are constantly thinking about recovering money. In our case, not only did we invest, but also made it a free film to increase the reach. We also did a donation drive.

Q: Why didn’t you opt for a theatrical release? Don’t you feel this film deserves a larger platform beyond ‘word of mouth’?

Aditya Kripalani: If you’re driven by money and commerce, you won’t make a film like this. While it’s important that the film is engaging, making money was never our goal. That’s why commercial cinema often avoids such topics—it’s about passion, not profits.

Q: How did your cast deal with the characters they were playing on screen in real life? Did it take a toll on them?

Aditya Kripalani: We consciously kept the environment on set light and humorous. We knew the subject was heavy, so maintaining a light atmosphere was important. I think this approach really helped the cast as well.

Q: In a similar vein, how did it affect you?

Aditya Kripalani: Many people have opened up to me about their struggles with suicide since the film’s release. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming, especially when I’m doing something unrelated, like having lunch, and then read a message about someone’s battle with suicidal thoughts. It can get a little disturbing, but I’ve gotten used to it and understand that this comes with making such a film.

Q: After focusing on women-centric subjects in your previous projects, why did you choose to focus on lonely men? Women are also battling these issues, perhaps more silently.

Aditya Kripalani: That is possible. It’s just that I spoke about men because in every country, men commit more suicide. Women tend to share their feelings with each other, men often don’t. That is the core difference. During our research, we found that men are less likely to talk to other men, even when they’re suicide prevention counsellors. This is why the majority of counsellors are women—men feel more comfortable talking to women.

Q: During the making of the film, Rucha Inamdar (who plays the suicide prevention counsellor) participated in a workshop where she spoke with strangers, such as taxi drivers and bus conductors, to get them to open up. Can you tell us more about that?

Aditya Kripalani: Yes, we did a workshop for a few days where Rucha interacted with strangers to practice getting them to share deep details of their lives. After each conversation, we discussed how she could be more incisive in the next one, based on what I had observed at the suicide prevention centre. She also spent a lot of time at Samaritans, asking questions and observing their work.