Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga: Film Review

by Vanshika Chaudhary

Shelly Chopra Dhar’s Ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga, written by Gazal Dhaliwal, is a traditional Bollywood rom-com with conventional characters, stereotypical humour, predictable chaos, and an anticipated happy ending, for its first half. The “progressive” part of the film only comes to light after half the film is over- Sahil finally learns the truth about Sweety. The audience witnesses an unanticipated movement from “normalcy” to non-normativity.

An unconventional “siyappa” ensues, only to be “resolved” by some dramatic dialogues that are to be taken by the heart and not the mind. With Cassandra comes the “happy ending”- literally, it is by the ending minutes of the movie that we see any significant display of affection by the two women. Even though the film moves away from Bollywood’s bizarre depiction of queer characters, it does not really go anywhere in its proclaimed progressiveness- it is so restricted in its assertion that it defeats its own purpose.

It may be an honest effort at representing queerness in mainstream Indian media, but it cannot be denied that the movie keeps circling around to avoid being “too confrontational” and actively keeping its heteronormative audience comfortable. Finally, the movie might be heartwarming to watch (like any rom-com) but overall, it fails in its attempt to adequately and justly represent unorthodox romances.


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