Social media is filled with opinions and outrage over women — sometimes about her dressing choice, other times about her postpartum body. Such instances made creator-producer Ashi Dua wonder how Lust Stories 3, an anthology centred on female desire, would be received. “We have to think 10 times before we put anything out there. The idea is not to offend anybody’s sensibilities, but to stay authentic to the reality. What’s unfortunate is that people get offended about reality,” she told mid-day over a call.

For Dua, however, the intention has never been to provoke for the sake of provocation. Instead, it is to tell meaningful stories sensitively. That sensitivity, she believes, begins with choosing filmmakers who understand what the Netflix franchise aims to do with female desire. This time, she has roped in Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, and Shakun Batra. “‘Come watch my film because I have explicit things happening’ is never the idea. We want people to watch the stories because they are engaging, entertaining, and saying something. I’ve had the opportunity to work with great minds whom you can trust to take care of the subject in the most sensitive manner.”