Lust Stories 3: Vishal Bhardwaj reveals how literature and Anais Nin inspired his story on desire, starring Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth.
Lust Stories 3 brings together filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vikramaditya Motwane for a new anthology exploring relationships, intimacy and desire from different perspectives. Bhardwaj has revealed that literature, poetry and the writings of French author Anais Nin played an important role in shaping his segment.
Known for adapting Shakespearean tragedies into Indian settings through films such as Maqbool, Omkara and Haider, Bhardwaj has taken a different creative route with his latest anthology story. The segment stars real-life couple Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth and is set in the culturally distinctive atmosphere of 1987 Hyderabad.
Vishal Bhardwaj Turns to Literature for the Story
For Bhardwaj, the idea behind his Lust Stories 3 segment was to explore desire through a woman’s perspective. His central character, Saira, is an Urdu literature professor who uses poetry and literature as a way to express emotions and feelings within her marriage.
According to the filmmaker, literature naturally finds its way into his storytelling because of his own academic connection with the subject. He explained that poetry can transform the way desire is perceived, sometimes blurring the line between love and lust.
Bhardwaj also referred to the poetry of Bashir Badr while discussing the temporary and changing nature of desire.
Anais Nin Inspired the Character of Saira
One of the most interesting influences behind the story is French-American writer Anais Nin, who was known for her literary work and erotic writing.
Bhardwaj said he was searching for a literary figure who could provide greater depth to his story. His research led him to Nin and her experiences as a writer of erotica.
He found an intriguing connection between Nin’s literary ambitions and the commercial pressures she faced. This eventually helped him develop Saira, a character who believes that literature and artistic expression can exist even in subjects that are often considered controversial or socially uncomfortable.
The filmmaker had reportedly attempted to develop his Lust Stories 3 story twice before, but eventually discarded both versions because he was not satisfied with the result. The eventual idea came together after he connected desire with literature and the world of writers.
Books Were Once a Gateway to Romance
Bhardwaj also looked back at how people encountered stories about romance and desire before VHS tapes, DVDs and digital streaming became widely available.
He recalled books, pulp fiction and magazines as important sources of entertainment for young readers. Mills & Boon novels, the pulp fiction associated with writer Mastram and magazines such as Debonair were among the material that shaped popular perceptions of romance and desire during that era.
These cultural references helped Bhardwaj establish the period setting and build a character whose relationship with literature is central to her emotional world.
Why Did Bhardwaj Choose Hyderabad?
The filmmaker chose 1987 Hyderabad as the setting because of the city’s distinctive cultural identity, language and atmosphere. The location allows the story to explore not only its central relationship but also the social and cultural environment surrounding the characters.
Saira works as an Urdu literature professor, while her husband Badru is a homeopathic doctor. Their relationship forms the emotional core of the segment.
The period setting also gives the story a visual and cultural texture that separates it from contemporary relationship dramas.
Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth Play a Married Couple
Lust Stories 3 features Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth as a married couple. Since the two actors are married in real life, questions naturally arose about whether performing intimate scenes together would be easier for them.
Hydari explained that their real-life relationship did not make the work automatically easier. Once the camera started rolling, they had to focus entirely on their fictional characters.
She said they approached the scenes as Badru and Saira rather than as a real-life couple, allowing the director’s vision to guide their performances.
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Siddharth Says Profession Comes First
Siddharth also emphasized that his personal relationship with Hydari did not change the way he approached his work.
The actor, who has worked with numerous female co-stars throughout his career, said treating his wife differently simply because they are married would go against his professional approach.
For him, the process remains straightforward: a writer creates the character, the director guides the actor and the performer tries to become that character between the director’s “action” and “cut”.
He also praised Bhardwaj’s abilities as a poet and musician while describing the filmmaker as someone deeply connected to love and artistic expression.
Aditi Praises Siddharth as a Co-Star
Hydari also credited Siddharth’s qualities as a professional actor for creating comfort on set. She revealed that she had worked with him even before they began dating.
According to her, Siddharth’s preparedness, punctuality, helpful nature and collaborative attitude make him an easy actor to work with. She particularly appreciated that he maintains an equal and supportive approach without being overbearing.
Their professional history, therefore, helped them approach their characters naturally despite their real-life relationship.
Siddharth Becomes the Object of Desire
Hydari also found one aspect of the story amusing. Traditionally, female characters have often been presented as objects of visual attraction in mainstream cinema. In this segment, however, Bhardwaj turns that dynamic around by presenting Siddharth’s character as an object of desire.
The actress jokingly noted that the filmmaker appeared to enjoy reversing the traditional gender dynamic.
This approach adds another layer to Lust Stories 3, which aims to explore desire without restricting it to conventional perspectives.
When and Where to Watch Lust Stories 3?
The anthology brings together four filmmakers with different storytelling styles. Vishal Bhardwaj’s segment focuses on literature, desire and a woman’s emotional perspective, while Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth headline the story.
Lust Stories 3 premieres on Netflix on Friday, giving viewers an opportunity to watch how the anthology approaches themes of intimacy, relationships and desire through four distinct directorial voices.
With literature, period detail and an unusual perspective on desire at its centre, Lust Stories 3 marks another distinctive addition to the anthology franchise.
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