The release of a Hindi movie exploring female sexuality in India this week after a battle with the country’s film censors is a victory for women’s rights, its director said.

The movie tells the story of the secret lives and desires of four women who rediscovers a sex life after the death of her husband.

Shrivastava said she was “excited, happy and also a little nervous” about the movie finally showing in cinemas in its home country.

“It always makes you wonder what people are expecting but that’s only until Friday and then it will be clear what the film is and how ridiculous all this drama was,” she said.

Lipstick Under My Burkha will hit screens on Friday, five months after the country’s censor board refused to certify it for being “lady oriented”.

In-spite of dealing with issues of gravitas, the film never compromises on its cinematic excellence and I believe it is a great example of the kind of insight filmmakers should have when making movies about women