LGBTQ community cautiously optimistic about ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is receiving a lot of support and praise for portraying a lesbian character in ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’.
Shabana Azmi, who has previously portrayed a homosexual relationship in Deepa Mehta’s ‘Fire’ (1996), is glad that Kapoor is open to exploring such roles, “Sonam, who’s like my own daughter, has constantly sought out roles that challenge the status quo”, Deccan Chronicle reported.
Onir, director of ‘My Brother… Nikhil’ (2005) and a proud member of the LGBTQ community shared, “I think it’s wonderful that’s someone like Sonam who comes from the mainstream cinema space is doing a lesbian character. She has always been forthright in supporting the LGBTQ movement. Hope male actors from the mainstream are inspired by her. I am looking forward to seeing the film.”
However, the community also has its share of critics, who are upset about the lack of LGBTQ messaging in the promotions of ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’. Filmmaker Apurva Asrani expressed his concern, saying, “One will have to wait and watch. Right now I have seen a heterosexual shaadi song to promote the film and a campaign where men are talking about their lady loves with the hashtag Ek ladki ko dekha toh. None of the marketing is skewed in the direction of the LGBTQ community. In fact they haven’t even talked about the fact that the writer of the film Gazal (Dhaliwal) is a trans woman.”
‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ has released on 1st February and stars Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Rajkummar Rao and Regina Cassandra.
