Fatima Sana Shaikh has had a busy July with two back-to-back releases — Metro… In Dino and Aap Jaisa Koi. Both films explore love from different lenses, and Fatima seems to have embraced this journey wholeheartedly. “I’m living my love life through the films that I’m doing,” she quips, reflecting on how her onscreen romances offer a creative outlet for personal expression.

What’s interesting is that in both stories, her characters demand emotional parity in relationships. Sharing her thoughts on equality in love, she says, “Equality in a relationship is very important. I would love to be feminine, and the man doesn’t have to become me. But there’s a synergy that must exist. We fell for each other for who we are — why should we change each other? Respect has to be the foundation.”

In Aap Jaisa Koi, she stars opposite R Madhavan, who portrays a character influenced by patriarchy. Fatima points out that patriarchy hurts men just as much as women. “There are men who are stuck in toxic relationships too. But when they speak out, they’re mocked. That’s also because of patriarchy — boys aren’t ‘supposed’ to cry or be weak. Men carry that burden silently.”

The actor also weighed in on the recurring narrative of women being labelled “difficult” in the film industry when they assert themselves — a conversation reignited recently amid rumours of Deepika Padukone’s fallout with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Fatima agrees that women who speak up often ruffle feathers. “In most professions, men dominate. Especially in corporate or leadership roles. Women who break norms are still seen as exceptions.”

Still, she’s hopeful. “The understanding of what women think is evolving. Earlier, only men were seen as villains or bosses — but now we can imagine women in those roles too. But with that comes real-life baggage, and the scrutiny is different.”

Fatima’s voice joins a growing chorus of women rewriting what strength, love, and professionalism look like — one film at a time.