Actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s efforts to tackle sensitive topics using humour and family dynamics, is commendable. For instance, his films like “Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan” and “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui” focus on members from the LGBTQIA+ community.
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Congratulations, we have set a new benchmark! Our Hindi cinema industry has evolved over the years. Recently, some movies have been focusing on our society’s outcasts, with actors like Ayushmann Khurrana being particularly impressive in these.
Since he has such a stronghold on the Hindi heartland cinema, every film he stars in is eagerly anticipated by many. He sheds light on problematic issues that have been ingrained in the Indian society for centuries.
He handles these issues with such ease that we end up applauding him. In my opinion, when “Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan” was released, the LGBTQIA+ community gained a lot of acceptance. While such things do not require acceptance because they are completely normal, social acceptance is still lacking.
In this piece, I’m sharing my joy. My readers may interpret it as an open letter of gratitude to this versatile actor. I saw his most recent film, “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui”, in which he worked in favour of the trans community, to show how science has progressed and how our society must progress as well.
What I Thought Of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui
First and foremost, I must emphasise that this is not a review. I just wanted to share that Ayushmann has highlighted two aspects that need to be accepted in society. It didn’t feel like a publicity stunt. The film showed the science behind accessing gender-affirming, surgical procedures.
One must see obstacles in the beginning, as he confesses in the film. He, as a common boy who studied in a government school, didn’t have any exposure to such issues. He finds it difficult to accept such drastic changes, initially.
He feels as though whether one is born as a boy or a girl, is god’s gift! Nobody has a say in the matter. Isn’t that right? But, what if one feels completely different on the inside?
When Mansi, played by the actress Vaani Kapoor, felt like she trapped inside the body of a boy, she decided to go and get operations done, Her boyfriend eventually understands.
A Step Towards Normalising Divorce
Manu, played by Ayushmann, approaches a hijra woman on the road, to learn more about the process of medically transitioning from male to female. The entire film is not just about, mark my words, him struggling to understand transness. He actually won my heart with something else.
He proposes marriage to Manvi, but she declines saying she needs to disclose something before making a lifelong commitment… Something he must be aware of! He responds with such ease saying: “What do you have to disclose? I’ll accept the three children from your previous marriage.”
This statement of his captivated me. In India, where divorce, with or without children, is still frowned upon, and where a girl’s parents still advise their beloved daughter to adjust in suffocating marriage setups, he dismisses such patriarchal nonsense with much ease.
Divorce in India is still (socially) punishable by life imprisonment for many women. They are given a character certificate with a stamp indicating that she bears the sole responsibility of her broken marriage.
Is this the case? The girl is not solely to blame for all of this. It could be anyone. Either a girl or a boy. We must accept that people of all genders have flaws. Furthermore, not all broken marriages are the result of flaws. Personal differences can cause a couple to mutually decide to take different paths.
To be honest, I feel like Ayushmann has a pure heart. We need many more people like him, even though he is one-of-a-kind.
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This article was originally published here.