My Reflections on Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui
By Pushpa Iyer
Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui is a 2021 Bollywood film directed by Abhishek Kapoor and released on Netflix. The film presents the love story of a trans woman and a very masculine, macho bodybuilder. The film is located in Chandigarh, north India, and represents Punjabi communities where hyper-masculine heterosexual culture is the norm.
I was excited, happy, and proud as I watched the film. I was excited because the film was going to tackle a complicated issue, given that it is only as recent as 2014 that the Supreme Court of India recognized the third gender. It was also only in 2018 that the Supreme Court finally decriminalized homosexuality. I was happy thinking about my trans friends and what they must feel to know that their life experiences were eventually becoming a part of the mainstream. Finally, as the movie unfolded, I felt proud to see Bollywood display its occasional best and challenging societal values. I am also so proud of Ayushman Khurrana, who played the lead protagonist Manu Munjal, truly one of our most understated yet brilliant actor. I am a big fan.
Most of the reviews for this film were superlative, which causes me a little worry (See this, this, and this). Has society become more accepting of trans people, or was the film sanitized enough to be palatable to most? I think it is more of the latter, but it was still a groundbreaking film. I believe that a movie like this could spark off many different conversations we could courageously engage in together. I highlight some key topics here:
Toxic Masculinity and Toxic Femininity: The film had both. The culture of toxic masculinity led to the initial disgust and horror that the male protagonist displayed when learning that the woman he was in love with was a trans woman. It also led him to make statements such as “I will expose you,”; “Get out of this city,” and more. Also so visible was the toxic femininity to back this hyper-masculinity. Manu Munjal’s sisters, who were the most opposed to having a trans woman as a sister-in-law, labeling it the most horrific of images. They were also opposed to their widowed father being remarried, especially to a Muslim woman. Why is there a symbiotic relationship between toxic masculinity and toxic femininity? What can we do to make men and women more accountable? Further, the film ends with Manu Munjal being crowned G.O.A.T. in bodybuilding and powerlifting, showing another checkmark for masculine, macho expressions in sports and emphasizing looks.
Trans Rights at the expense of Homosexual Rights: Trans rights should not be at the cost of homosexual rights. Manu Munjal’s first reaction upon finding out that he had been having sexual relations with a trans woman was that of disgust for having sex with another ‘man.’. That discussion continued for a while, with his friend telling him it was okay if he preferred men, and in response, Manu beat him up. Maanvi’s friend, a butch lesbian, did not have her own story in the film, but there were a couple of times when she was referred to as ‘bro’ or spoken to in a manner that displayed ridicule for the way she presented herself.
Courage to be in a trans relationship: Some reviewers critiqued the film for suggesting that Manu Munjal came off as the hero for showing courage to be in a relationship with a trans woman when she was the courageous one. I believe when society, culture, and education lead you to be unaware of trans communities and challenges as Manu Munjal was (he, in fact, did not know what trans meant), then I think acknowledging his courage in dealing with new information and ready to go against what society considers ‘wrong’ also shows courage. How can we be compassionate to people at different stages of discovery instead of demeaning them for not being further along as you might be in the process?
Mainstream Beauty notions imposed on Trans Women: The main protagonist, Maanvi Brar, is the epitome of mainstream ideas of beauty imposed on women. Tall, slim, with a body accentuated by her choice of clothing and her adherence to fitness (she is a Zumba teacher, which Manu Munjal refers to as peacock dance) showed us a woman who was “perfect” for a man. However, post-puberty transitions, which make it more challenging for trans men or women to have the necessary features to be as close to the gender they have transitioned, will require us to accept an “imperfect” trans woman. Further, the film underplayed the transition process and the time and money it would take for someone to undergo a complete transition, including plastic surgery.
I asked Jacob Dwyer what he thought and here is what he said:
When I watched the film, it felt great to see a story of a trans person that was not completely overshadowed by trauma. The challenges that trans people face, often at the hands of a harmful and unaccepting society, are immense. However, it is important to not let our perception of an identity be focused solely on the trauma, especially when there is so much more that makes an individual. Often in the media when a trans character, or any LGBTQ+ character for that matter, is near the center of the story, we are shown the struggles without any insight into the joy. Some recent films have bucked this tendency for gay men, but American media has still yet to celebrate trans love in the way that Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui has. I appreciated the attention to the challenges (Manu’s devastating reaction to learning Maanvi’s identity, Maanvi’s reminder that the pain from becoming who she is today is worse than any ridicule) while ending with the stereotypical love story happy ending, which I think is noteworthy. As representation for LGTBQ+ people in the media continues to grow, this film is an indication that our stories can be more than pain and be captivating, and I hope it is an indication of more nuanced storytelling to come.
Do watch this beautiful film and share your thoughts with us.