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Indian society’s collective consciousness in 2024 is a vibrant, incorrigible mess. Our heart is constantly at the right place, but the lack of awareness and sensitivity kills many a cause. The once-famous pluralism is on a downward spiral. The academic standards are excellent in theory and technology, yet we hesitate to practice empathy out of fear. As a result, the minorities are unhappy and are rightfully agitated. In an atmosphere such as this, designing a mainstream gay love story could be termed as brave. But, are the makers responsible enough? Where are they studying the dynamics from? These are pertinent questions because Hardik Gajjar’s Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani is the most ignorant queer film (if it qualifies as one) in recent years. It strangely observes gay relationships through a straight man’s lens. Its conflicts and remedies are as exotic as a love story between an Indian man and an African woman.
Amar (Sunny Singh) and Prem (Aditya Seal) meet at an airport. Of course, is there a more cliched place for lovers to meet? Amar is a ‘pind da puttar’ who – for some reason – is as asexual as a sloth. Prem is the empowered and buoyant London lad. All kinds of serendipitous sparks fly to make you lose count of the plot points they borrow from straight romantic comedies.
The problem is not with the makers referencing the wrong Bollywood films. It is about bizarrely juxtaposing a heterosexual romance in a homosexual context. Queer love stories cannot be irresponsible fairy tales. Filmmakers must understand the society they live in, the politics that underline homosexual relationships, and the modern constructs of gender and sexuality. To quote Siddhant Chaturvedi in a different context, the struggle of queer lovers begins exactly where that of a man and a woman’s issues end. The film tries to insert cultural humor which fails to fly as the fundamentals alone are wrong. If you observe, Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani is not a film that acknowledges LGBTQIA+ as a community. In their process, the team embarrasses themselves and misunderstands the minority’s problems and reflexes.
ALSO READ: ‘Badhaai Do’ review – A fabulously acted small-town queer drama
I didn’t mind the glossy frames although hiring actors with zero sexual chemistry was never a good idea. With magicless gazes, brotherly hugs, and the absence of even a mild brushing of their lips, the film belongs to the dishonest territory of Tarun Mansukhani’s 2008 film Dostana. A case in point is how Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani is cool enough to show a man and a woman kissing but its leading men are constantly at a safe distance. Amar and Prem kept buzzing, “It’s nobody’s business to know what we do in the bedroom,” Seeing their ice-cold vibes, I was as curious as the supporting cast. Aside from the pay cheques, what must have encouraged the awkwardly straight-looking Singh and Seal to sign the film? Everybody knew it wasn’t a Brokeback Mountain.
Rupinder Inderjit’s screenplay might have worked in a dystopian world where coming out is a vanilla concept. The couple’s families, if not busy parodying Vicky Donor, make statements like, “Someone has to be the man of the house”. This way, Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani also assigns traditional gender roles to gay lovers, albeit unknowingly. Sigh.
What offers a minor respite is its melodious music (Prasad S) with Arijit Singh’s ‘Kasturi’ being the best thing in the film. The actors attempt to justify their remunerations, especially Pranutan Bahl and the lady who plays Amar’s grandmother. Yet, there’s a limit to lifting a film that is irrevocably ignorant of its subject matter. Also, what happened to the grandfather who went into a coma? What was the need to insert his close-ups if he wouldn’t return in full force? In what universe do people say lines such as, “hum dono dil se ek ho gaye” and “wo tera hai, wo tera hi rahega” anymore?
Sitting through Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahan, I cringed nonstop thinking why a group of cisgender heterosexuals would invest in a subject they know nothing about. Next time, Bollywood writers should spend less time on Tiktok and Instagram Reels for research, and speak to real people to learn and address potent issues. And lastly, be brave enough to (at least) hire an out-and-proud cast and crew so that the romantic leads won’t need blurred frames and flowers to conceal a passionate smooch. Trust me, you will see the difference and the audience is ready for it.
Rating: ★ 1/2
Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani is now streaming on Jio Cinema.
