Title: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
Release Year: 2019
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Social
Country of Origin: India (Bollywood)
Director: Shelly Chopra Dhar
Writers: Gazal Dhaliwal, Shelly Chopra Dhar
Languages: Hindi (Mainly) & Urdu, Punjabi, English (Little)
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga – Movie Review
Bollywood comes out of the closet with a same sex love story in small baby steps. The boldest move about Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (ELKDTAL) is Shelly Chopra directing Ghazal Dhaliwal’s story, beyond that the movie makes a timid debut as the first gay movie after India decriminalized homosexuality in September last year.
As a teen, Sonam Ahuja is made to feel abnormal, bad and dirty about her love preference by brother Abhishek Duhan until she falls in love with Regina Cassandra. Rajkummar Rao has adopted a subtle boldness a little away from his usual style as the writer and director who helps the girls bring their story to the family and towns folk in the form of a play. The ultimate acceptance by father Anil Kapoor after the initial dramatic denial helps others too.
Just as Regina’s hindi debut (after more than 30 movies in the South Indian Film Industry) deserves a standing ovation for her exuberant personality and collected screen presence, Sonam needs a new hairdresser and stylist too.
Seema Pahwa, Brijendra Kala as the house staff and Madhumalti Kapoor as the Grandmother have added the right spark but it’s Juhi Chawla’s bubbly presence that reminds us and Anil Kapoor to chase our dreams.
Title track Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and remix of popular Gori Naal Ishq Mita are the one you will bring home of the songs in the movie. 6 out of 10 for a movie that shows heart but is not a trail blazer.
Reviewed by: Shyamala Nawab