This Hindi movie is a pretty straightforward slice-of-life story that tries to give a modern look at what it's like to be a single, professional gay man. It dives into how he understands who he is, the chances he missed out on, and the personal choices he’s made along the way. The director used three parallel timelines to tell the story, which honestly didn't make much sense to me. While the core idea was actually pretty interesting, I really feel like this would have worked way better as a short film considering the point it was trying to make. Still, it wasn't a bad watch. The plot centers on Rachit, a city professional, and his friend Shikhar as they hang out for an evening. Rachit is a polished, urban guy, while Shikhar has more of a "small-town" rustic vibe, and you can really see the contrast between them when they talk. As the night goes on, Rachit starts thinking back to some old memories from a long time ago. He remembers being an intern after college in ...
Gloria is a celebrated drag performer, who performs in a club owned by Toni, the best friend. Meanwhile, a man Alex has been privately investigating Gloria and has been following her. Alex shows up as Candy at the bar wanting to audition for drag and gets the job. Gloria and Candy form a bond as a drag mother and daughter, staging rehearsals in what initially appears to be a fun performance. However, you feel there is a sexual tension between the two and soon they end up in bed with each other. Soon, the secret is revealed on how Alex is related to Gloria and how many would see this as an act of perversion, but surprisingly neither of. The two men see tithes way. With able support from Toni, Alex is finally revealed the truth of what really happened when he was born and eventually when and how did Gloria become a drag queen.
The makers have tried to give the film a very indie, artsy feel which works in its favor. You feel like you are watching a serious cinema with some real good acting and are waiting things to unfold. I personally was kind of expecting the surprise to be what it ended up being, but since the two men had sex, twice, I wasn't sure what was the intention behind it. I am glad that Gloria tells this to Toni and even asks if this makes him a pervert, since he would do this again, its clear the director knew they are walking on egg shells with the story. The stories about self acceptance and coming to terms on who you really are. Gloria as the drag queen does an excellent job. I felt Alex was a bit out of place. Toni as the supportive friend, did her part brilliantly. It was nice to see how their friendship lasted all these years.
Unlike most films about drag, this is not designed to be a campy film, but a tender and honest appraisal of one of the possible reasoning behind why Gloria pursue this as career line of work and the emotional attachments and complexities it brings. The story has loopholes and something that may not be acceptable. I sadly, am slightly biased myself but I think the director has potential for good future work. (5/10)
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