Shoojit Sircar has revisited the making of ‘Pink’ as the acclaimed legal drama marks 10 years since its release, recalling how Amitabh Bachchan’s involvement transformed the project and how the veteran actor contributed to the film’s script through extensive discussions. In an interview with Variety India, Sircar also opened up about working with Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang, the origins of the film’s defining “no means no” message, and the creative contributions that shaped the final film.
Shoojit Sircar recalls Amitabh Bachchan’s involvement in ‘Pink’
Sircar, who served as creative producer and co-writer on ‘Pink’, said his involvement with the project intensified after Amitabh Bachchan agreed to come on board. The filmmaker recalled that the actor’s decision significantly changed the profile of the film.“Ten years of Pink! It doesn’t feel that long ago. A lot of things are quite fresh in my head. To start with, I would say that my involvement, especially my focus on the film, began when, unexpectedly, Mr. Bachchan agreed to be part of the film. This completely changed the profile of the project,” Sircar told Variety India.According to Sircar, the film was still taking shape when Bachchan agreed to participate. He immediately felt the responsibility of developing a script worthy of the actor and the ensemble that was coming together.“I told Ronnie Lahiri (Producer), Ritesh Shah (writer), and Aniruddha Roy Chaudhury that Mr. Bachchan had agreed. And at that time, the script wasn’t ready. Some thoughts were there, but not on paper. Then it was like suddenly a cloudburst happened because I had a responsibility towards Mr. Bachchan. He really liked the idea, but I didn’t have a proper script for him,” he recalled.
Shoojit Sircar reveals how ‘a lot of suggestions came from Mr Bachchan’
Sircar said the team repeatedly met Bachchan to discuss the film, with many of those conversations eventually influencing what audiences saw on screen.“We kept on meeting Mr. Bachchan. Whatever you see or hear in the film is because of those discussions. I remember he was at the Kolkata Grand Hotel, shooting for another film, and after the shoot we’d meet him at the hotel and discuss. He would read poetry, and we would listen; he would give certain ideas, etc.,” he said.The filmmaker also credited Bachchan for contributing potent ideas during the development of the script, describing the film as the result of collaboration between the cast and various members of the creative team.“I think this entire thing happened because of this collaboration from all these actors, Mr. Bachchan, and everyone who came together for Pink—for example, the casting of Andrea, the girl from the Northeast, that came from Ronnie. In Delhi, it is very common that you’ll have a Northeast friend. When you have an idea and keep working on it, it somehow all comes together. And in this case, I would definitely give it to the cast, especially Mr. Bachchan, for discussing the script and coming up with some really potent ideas,” Sircar said.
How ‘no means no’ became the defining line of ‘Pink’
One of the most enduring elements of ‘Pink’ was its central message around consent. Sircar recalled how the idea emerged during discussions about the script.“I think that penny-drop moment happened when, one day, while discussing this, I said that what we play with no is purely no. I thought of playing around with this concept in the script. We all agreed, and that’s when we started getting a grip on the script,” he said.Sircar explained that the team then returned to the office and began working extensively on the screenplay.“We walked straight from there to the office, sat down with the script, and somehow managed to crack the first part of the film in the next month,” he added.
Ritesh Shah wrote the second half of ‘Pink’ in Delhi
Sircar also recalled that the court sequence, a crucial part of the film, was still being developed towards the end of the shoot.“On the last day, we were wrapping, but we had to come back and shoot the court sequence, which was still not written. My writer, Ritesh Shah, said, ‘I will stay here for a few days, and I’ll finish it.’ Before that, he had shared a few scenes with me. I said, yes, this is going well, so let’s go with it,” Sircar said.He added that Shah stayed in Delhi for several more days and completed the second half of the screenplay. The final challenge was finding the right way to deliver the film’s concluding “no means no” moment without making it overly dramatic.
Amitabh Bachchan helped shape the final ‘no means no’ sequence
The team eventually returned to Bachchan to discuss the crucial final sequence. Sircar said they collectively decided that the moment had to remain direct and matter-of-fact.“We came back and sat down with Mr. Bachchan for a couple of sessions, and then we unanimously decided to go with a very matter-of-fact, normal ‘no means no’,” he said.The decision became one of the most recognisable elements of the film and helped turn the phrase into a wider cultural reference point.
‘Pink’ completes 10 years
Released in September 2016, ‘Pink’ starred Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang, with Vijay Varma, Angad Bedi and other actors in supporting roles. The film centred on three young women who find themselves caught in a legal battle after an encounter with a group of influential men.The film became closely associated with its message around consent and the phrase “no means no”, while also earning critical acclaim and major industry recognition.
Shoojit Sircar’s current work slate
Shoojit Sircar’s most recent directorial release was ‘I Want To Talk’, which starred Abhishek Bachchan and arrived in 2024.