Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga - Could It Be the Next Bollywood Hit That We're Waiting For?

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Sonam Kapoor, Juhi Chawla
Director: Shelly Chopra Dhar
Rating: 4/5

Until now, Bollywood seems to have no experience with homosexual movie themes. Being quite stereotyped, monotonous as well as overstated and obscene are what we can talk about previous films on this sensitive topic. The Indian movie industry needs a breakthrough in a homosexual movie - making, it is with ‘reality’ that the movie needs to pivot.

Obviously, it’s not true that Bollywood doesn’t have any original same-sex movies. Fire, Margarita with a Straw and Angry Indian Goddesses are all typical examples for this case. Yet the hot potato here is that such films accounted for a tiny percentage and creating a successful movie is not always possible. Frankly speaking, there aren't any movies that really touch the Indian audience's hearts and become the Indian people’s homosexual movie. They often watch homosexual scenes on film through humorous scenes used for reducing the tension of the film (Kal Ho Naa Ho, Dostana) or show shyness when watching same-sex movies directly (Dedh Ishqiya, Fashion, Heroine).

Although the government has repealed Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, discrimination against gays and lesbians, trans people and homophobic attitude are still a terrible social issue. Good news is the Indians are getting more open about the third gender. Be that as it may, not all the people are willing to change their old mindset, acts such as harassment, mocking, and assault still happen. Especially, non-binary gender people in big cities suffer from mental and physical harassment, which becomes a daily occurrence.

The Indian government is a diffusing advanced mindset from which to change people's behaviours and attitudes towards the theme. A movie can raise people's awareness in the long run, to do so, the film needs to strike a chord with the audience.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is expected to be educated and to affect profoundly for some reasons. First, starring with well-known celebrities, the cast cannot be perfect than this. From Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Sonam Kapoor to Juhi Chawla, and Vinod Chopra as the producer, all together create large and powerful support and contribute significantly to the recovery of homosexual rights.

Second, the story doesn’t need to be ostentatious or about oversea Indian people or those who live in the capital or big cities like Mumbai. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga takes place in Moga, Punjab. An ordinary lesbian person living in a small town is the pivot point of the whole movie. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga embraces the audience’s empathy and makes this sensitive theme easily understandable.

Third, the movie is all about a love affair between two women - a sore point. For being engraved in the audience’s heart and beyond other usual films, the filmmakers are wise enough to avoid making it too artistic or too complicating. The movie has something for everyone, famous stars, a well-known producer, catchy OST and of course a perceptive love story. Avoiding the trap of the audience’s early consumption leading to refusing to watch right after seeing the film genre, the producers don’t leave any definition of the movie.

Before the movie was dropped, no one even the cast dropped any hints about the film, it was a secret. Because it does not matter of timing and intention, it’s about a proper introduction.

Fourth, with thorough research, the story is written with a steady hand. The screenwriter is an insider, Ghazal Dhaliwal, a transgender woman. Raj-Simran brings to life her own story of her struggle for gender identity.

Finally, we’ve been sick of two weird and controversial couples Rahul-Anjali and Raj-Simran and regretted watching their movies. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga will be a breath of fresh air in Indian romantic film, and even more, it redefines our concept of the third gender.

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