Acclaimed actress Tisca Chopra is stepping behind the camera for her first feature film as a director, Saali Mohabbat, which is set to premiere soon on ZEE5 after being screened at the IFFI Goa and Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The film is a gripping drama-thriller that delves into love, betrayal, and the hidden emotional complexities that simmer beneath the surface of relationships.
Featuring a stellar cast including Radhika Apte, Divyendu Sharma, Anurag Kashyap, Anshumaan Pushkar, Sauraseni Maitra, and Sharat Saxena, the film is produced by Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Production, marking the fashion designer’s digital debut as a producer. The story follows Smita, a small-town housewife whose seemingly peaceful life unravels as buried secrets come to light, exploring themes of infidelity, deceit, and identity from a distinctly female perspective.
Speaking to Variety, Chopra shared, “I’ve always been fascinated by the quiet tensions that exist beneath relationships — the invisible power struggles, the unspoken expectations, and how love can transform into something darker.”
Jyoti Deshpande, President of Jio Studios, described the film as “an ingeniously crafted thriller” and praised the collaboration with Malhotra, while Kaveri Das, Business Head at ZEE5 Hindi, called it “a suspenseful yet emotional story about human choices.”
Malhotra, known for his impeccable fashion sensibility, said Saali Mohabbat represents his company’s mission to support “original stories told with honesty and precision.” He commended the ensemble cast for bringing “truth and rhythm” to their performances. Chopra added that Malhotra’s trust in her vision allowed the film to retain its “raw honesty.”
Calling the experience “terrifying and liberating,” Chopra said directing the film gave her the freedom to break boundaries often imposed on women filmmakers.
Saali Mohabbat will stream on ZEE5 in seven languages — Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi — across 190 countries.
