Hitting a record ‘sixer’, in just ‘nine’ months, star-actress Rakul Preet Singh seems maha-excited ! With her daring role of a sex-education teacher and condom-tester in latest ZEE5 ‘Chhatriwali’ ! - Chaitanya Padukone

Versatile super-actress Rakul Preet Singh has now set an impressive box-office record of SIX movie releases That too within NINE months -- between April 2022 up to January 2023 ! This may even possibly be a pleasant shock for mega-star Akshay Kumar who is known for multiple ( generally up to four movies) releases in a year. Clarifies dedicated ‘workaholic’ Rakul, “ This ZEE5 movie ‘Chhatriwali releasing on January 20th, is a heart-warming family-entertainer which is coated in a capsule of funny comedy and witty punch-lines .Directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar, the maverick movie ‘Chhatriwali’ will effectively enlighten and educate the All-India theatre audiences while entertaining them. Not just men, the movie candid content will empower married women to exercise their voice and choice and stop considering sex as a ‘hush-hush’ taboo topic. It is a strange paradox that India is the second highest populated country and yet people hesitate to discuss sex and contaceptives openly. It’s a wrong presumption, that sex is a command-demand desire only for men. Sex is a recurring mutual need for both women and men and it’s always a two-way street. There has to a mutual sensitive understanding and emotional bonding and not just physical intimacy,” insists Rakul whose SIX released movies since April 2022 include Attack, Runway 34, Doctor G , Cuttputlli, Thank God and now Chhatriwali.

Incidentally, in the recent past there have been entertaining movies having sex-orientation as its theme including Helmet <2021>, then Janhit Mein Jaari <2022>. However these films were apparently unable to effectively communicate the social message . Which is apparently how ZEE5 decided to rope in Chhatriwali <2023>.

At the promotional launch event,at Hotel Novotel at Juhu it was interesting to note that guests like upcoming vivacious model-actress like Rhythm Soni and digital content creator-model Vidhi Shah seemed enthusiastic as they posed, holding an umbrella symbolizing ‘Chhatriwali’ !

The movie ‘Chhatriwali’ has Rakul Preet Singh also playing the lead role of a teacher who imparts sex education to children in her vicinity and school. Unlike Helmet and Janhit Mein Jaari, the protagonist here takes the cause by design and not default. Owner of the condom factory is played by versatile veteran actor-director Satish Kaushik

Desperate for a job, a female unemployed chemistry graduate in small town Karnal becomes a condom tester, a quality-control head, a secret she must hide from everyone around her. ‘Chhatriwali’ is a quirky drama and another fresh high – concept film by the production house that is known to bring path-breaking subjects to the audiences. Director Tejas Deoskar shares, “Our film is a social family entertainer, which aims at de-stigmatising the use of condoms and we are truly excited that the film has gone on floors. Rakul brings freshness to every role that she portrays and with a sensitive, thought provoking subject like this, the audience will certainly enjoy a roller-coaster ride of comedy.”

The protagonist initially starts as an ambitious girl eyeing to open a showroom. But after learning of the two miscarriages of her brother’s wife , and the ill effects, Rakul Preet Singh’s eyes open to the problem faced by many such women due to unsafe sex. It is not easy to change adults, the best time to pass the right message is when one is young. So, the character then takes it upon herself to impart sex education to children.

Chhatriwali is Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP and directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar. The film also stars Prachee Shah Paandya, Sumeet Vyas, Satish Kaushik, Riva Arora, Dolly Ahluwalia and Rajesh Tailang.

Handsome macho actor Sumeet Vyas plays Rakul’s husband, who does not believe in using condoms. He says in the trailer, “Raincoat pehenke, baarish mein bheegne ka kya mazaa.”

Co-star Sumeet Vyas says, “Chhatriwali breaks the wall of awkward silence and awkwardness around sex between Indian parents and children, husbands and wives, teachers and students. Today’s generation is curious about the word “sex”, “intimacy” because there is always a sense of ‘hush-hush’ around such topics.”