The first mainstream Hindi film that, somewhat tremulously, broaches the theme of same-sex love, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga is easy to relate to and grasp. It sails to uncharted parts and travels miles, but it does so without rocking the boat too violently. In the end, it is a sensitive, tender and humor-laced melodrama that hinges as much on the relationship between a lonely, misunderstood small-town Punjabi girl and her doting father as on the heroine�s sexual orientation, which drives her into a difficult-to-break shell. Screenwriter Gazal Dhaliwal (who has also penned the eminently relatable dialogue) and director and co-writer Shelly Chopra Dhar impart a genteel amiability to the tale, which springs its surprises without seeming to be overly radical in its portrayal of gender identity and homosexuality. Notions like bimari (disease), normality and family honor are invoked repeatedly and in no uncertain terms, and a woman�s inner turmoil as she fights for the right to lead her life on her own terms is treated with restraint and empathy. The film�s even tone is enhanced by the restrained performances from the key members of the fantastic ensemble cast. The quality of the writing is best exemplified not only by the manner in which this movie pricks the ingrained biases of the female protagonist�s family, articulated primarily by the fulminations of an overly aggressive elder brother (played with remarkable elan by Abhishek Duhan), but also by the incrementally positive effect that the unfolding story has on the audience. When the heroine comes out - first with a question (Zaroori hai kya mujhe ek munde se hi pyar ho?) and then with a firm statement (Main ek ladki se pyaar karti hoon.) - the unsuspecting man who is besotted with her breaks into drunken laughter. One presumes even the audience does just that, if not audibly. The lover is quick to regret his unthinking reaction. The audience takes a little longer to warm up to the girl�s struggles but does begin to see (well before the climax) the point that the film is making. Struggling playwright Saahil Mirza (Rajkummar Rao), the prodigal son of a film producer who mocks him for straying into the unstable world of theatre, follows his muse, Sweety Chaudhary (Sonam Kapoor), from Delhi to Punjab�s Moga town and runs into her orthodox businessman-dad (Anil Kapoor) and his family and a �secret� that upsets all his plans. A play-within-a film device brings to the fore long-suppressed realities and forces the family, nay the entire town, to confront its prejudices.Ek Ladki ko Dekha to Aisa Laga
Released On: February 2019 Genre:�Drama Directed By:�Shelly Chopra Dhar Produced By:�Vidhu Vinod Chopra Starcast:�Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Rajkummar Rao, Sonam Kapoor, Brijendra Kala, Abhishek Duhan, Madhumalti Kapoor, Seema Pahwa
Anil Kapoor, as always, gets completely into the swing of things and livens up the film with his presence. Sonam, well served by the angularities of a screen persona that keeps cockiness at bay, projects a convincing combination of vulnerability and assertion in a way that only she can. Rajkummar Rao is as impressively pitch-perfect as ever. It takes a truly confident actor to resist the urge to chew up the scenes he is in and instead subsume himself completely in the essence of the film. Juhi Chawla is an absolute delight, a radiantly charming scene-stealer.
In fact, each of the major characters in the film benefits from perfect casting. Seema Pahwa, as the woman in charge of the Chaudhary family kitchen, and Brijendra Kala, playing the nosey household factotum, offer wonderful comic relief, as does Madhumalti Kapoor in the role of the matriarch who has a hard time keeping her widower-son, a garments factory owner who still rues not having realized his dream of making it big as a chef, away from the kitchen and cookery shows.
Thwarted aspirations are at the heart of this story and it isn�t only Sweety whose life is soured. The character essayed by Juhi Chawla, a small-time Delhi caterer who supplies food to a theatre troupe, nurtures the hope of one day becoming what she has always wanted to be - an actress. In these little tales woven around the larger pivotal one of a girl desperate to be understood and accepted for what she is, the screenplay pulls into its fold an overarching truth that stares us in the face: we are all �different� and need the space to become who we desire to be.
The story is simple enough and is told in a manner that could be faulted for being overly chaste - the same-sex lovers embrace a few times but they do not as much as plant a kiss on each other�s cheeks, let alone lips - but the film achieves something far bigger than a Bollywood crowd-pleaser can. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is a significant film because of its provenance (it comes from Vidhu Vinod Chopra�s production stable) and also because of the support of Bollywood actors who�ve dared. This film goads the audience to think differently without trying to deviate from its primary purpose, which is to deliver entertainment.
A small time Delhi Caterer Juhi and Home Chef Anil are seen cooking, serving and tasting a lot of dishes in this movie. Papdi Chaat, Jalebi, Paneer Biryani, Paneer Tikka, Chocolate Barfi are some of the dishes shown. We are presenting the recipe of Chocolate Barfi keeping in mind the upcoming festive season.
Chocolate Barfi
Ingredients 1/2 cup������������������ Khuwa 1/4-1/2 cup����������� Sugar 6 tbsp�������������������� Cocoa Powder 2 tbsp�������������������� Milk Powder 4 tbsp�������������������� Warm Milk 2 tbsp�������������������� Ghee 3/4 cup������������������ Water
Method
- Cook the khuwa on low flame with 2 tbsp of ghee until it turns slightly pinkish and the ghee separates on the sides.
- Bring water to boil in a pot. Add sugar and dissolve until it reaches a 3-thread consistency.
- Dissolve the cocoa powder and milk powder in 4 tbsp of warm milk and add to the sugar syrup.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the cooked khuwa.
- Transfer this mixture onto a greased pan or baking sheet, about 2 inches thick.
- Spread evenly with a spatula, then cover with silver paper if desired.
- Allow it to cool and set for about 5 minutes.
- Cut the barfi using a flat knife and cover with cellophane paper.
- Refrigerate for an hour.
- Cut into diamond shapes and store in air-tight container in the refrigerator.
