Bollywood stars Kareena, Arjun Kapoor in Dubai for film shoot

Dubai - Directed by R.Balki, 'Ki and Ka' sees Kareena take on the role of an ambitious career-oriented woman while her on-screen partner, played by Arjun Kapoor, plays the part of a supportive stay-at-home husband.

A society where traditional gender roles are challenged will be showcased on the big screen in the refreshing new Bollywood film 'Ki and Ka'.
The romantic comedy, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor, is currently shooting at locations across Dubai with a release date set for next year. Directed by R.Balki, Ki and Ka sees Kareena take on the role of an ambitious career-oriented woman while her on-screen partner, played by Arjun Kapoor, plays the part of a supportive stay-at-home husband.
Acting legend Amitabh Bachchan is also rumoured to have a cameo in the film.
"Hindi is possibly the only language that's got so many gender [assignments]. From chairs to scooters to buses, everything is masculine or feminine," explained R.Balki at a press conference on Tuesday at Palace Downtown Dubai Hotel, alongside the film's two stars.
"There's so much emphasis placed on genders so the whole theme of this film is 'genders don't matter', because whatever happens, whichever gender plays whatever role, the problems are going to be the same."
Kareena, who wed actor Saif Ali Khan in 2012 and is currently one of India's highest paid female actresses, is using her personal life as a compass in tackling this new role.
"Even now that I'm married, that's a separate part of me," she said. "I don't carry that with me when I'm working. My own husband looks up to me and respects me because I'm a working individual."
When asked to clarify her position on the gender wage gap that's so particularly prevalent in the film industry, she said: "I'm happy with what I take home. I'm very happy and very comfortable. I live very well. I don't think I could have asked for more. There are some films that I do for less money, and then of course there are the odd Salman Khan films where you're always given a bonus with the box office first week collections."
On her co-star Arjun, she said: "Somebody that I genuinely love and care about is Arjun, as a friend, as family. And now to actually romance him playing my husband, it was a little unnerving."
Arjun, the 30-year-old son of mega film producer Boney Kapoor, was last seen in the action-packed film Tevar. He is promising fans something "unique" with his new role in Ki and Ka.
"You will find very relatable charcaters [in the film]. The thread being, what defines a working woman, what defines a person who runs the house, it's all decided by the notions of society. [This film] is not about proving a point, it's more about giving our opinion."
Shooting in the city has been going on all week with locations including The Dubai Mall and fountain set to be featured prominently, as well as other Emaar Hospitality Group properties.
kadry@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai