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 ...
Through various home videos and YouTube videos that Mrs. Kasha Davis was always a confident star who always who she was. Her camp sensibilities blended well with the Rochester, NY drag scene and earned her a decent amount of local success. But year after year despite trying for RuPaul's Drag race show, she eventually made to one season but had to leave the show at 11th position. We learn a bit about the star's history, on how was he not supported by family, was actually married to a girl and then divorced. The film , never goes into trying to find how and when did Mrs. Kasha Davis' drag sensibilities came into picture. We see all her struggles as she moves on from gig to gig, trying to do one person acts on stage, flying to New York for panel discussions and her comedy standup which are sometimes successful and ther times barely no one shows up. But what you see, is a fully supportive husband who stand by her through thick and thin. The famous drag star who became popular using the catchphrase “There’s always time for a cocktail,” talks about her own addiction and rehab stories.
For many a performing Dra queens, the craft requires sacrifice, thankless long hours, and money for costumes, makeup, and hair sometimes just for the chance to be seen but always for the chance to live out your dream. So keeping that in mind, this documentary film shows raw, celebratory, passionate, and revelatory story on Mrs. Kasha Davis. It honors living your true authentic self and how one person impacts people’s lives in ways you never thought possible. It’s gratifying that the makers can capture the positive resolution to Popil’s disappointing experiences by the end of the film. As this workhorse queen himself explains, “I realized I can have an impact on people’s lives doing the work that I love, right here at home in Rochester.” This truth, and the sense that this queen is one of the good ones, is reinforced with interviews from folks in Rochester that speak to Popil’s endless and genuine support of the community. All in all, for those who find drag entertaining, or even for those who just find diverse voices compelling, Workhorse Queen will create a deeper respect for all the drag artists out there who aren’t in the celebrity spotlight but find their voices anyway. I definitely have a newfound respect for drag artists. (6/10)
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