Kahaani actors in Bhojpuri film

About women's emancipation

With Ghar Duaar, Pandey makes his big screen debut. He had earlier written the Balaji film Koi Aap Sa. "Ghar Duaar deals with women's emancipation," says Pandey.

"Considering the audience of a Bhojpuri film, the script takes a look at a woman's position in society and the things they have to do and not to do. It is not an arthouse kind of subject. In fact, I have tried to tread the fine line between art and commercial cinema," adds Pandey.

Why TV actors?

The reason why he decided to make a film with TV actors is because of the comfort factor. "At present I am writing only Kahiin To Hoga and Kumkum. But I was with the Kahaani unit for long so there is that bonding with them. I had roped in Sakshi Tanwar (Parvati) for the film but she had other commitments which clashed with the shoot dates."

Ghar Duaar was shot in Benares with Pandey's own finances. "Of course, I am grateful to both Ekta Kapoor and Kahaani's creative head Sandiip Sikcand who allowed me to shoot with the Kahaani actors for the film. In a daily, it is difficult to take away actors from a film shoot for a period of time."

Pandey, who began his career with Balaji, plans to write-direct another Bhojpuri film with the politics in Uttar Pradesh in the background. "For this project I hope to take known Bhojpuri actors like Rani Chatterji. For my first film I could not afford them!"

In the city, Ghar Duaar has released in Navrang (Andheri), Shalimar (Grant Road), Capitol (Fort), and Galaxy (Bhiwandi).