Can Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui mainstream trans love in India?

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui is a daring attempt at showing a love story between a cross-functional athlete and a trans woman. Who would have thought?

It’s no secret that Ayushmann Khurrana is the poster boy of unconventional films, which tend to leave a mark on the audience. From his debut film, Vicky Donor, the actor has chosen atypical roles and stories that challenge the norms of society. Now, in a daring act, Ayushmann’s upcoming film, co-starring Vaani Kapoor, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, shows a gender-bending romance.

Trans representation in Bollywood has always been problematic. The community and its members have always been minimised to certain stereotypes and used for fear or comic relief. Even in recent years, not much has changed. Akshay Kumar’s Laxmii, which was released in 2020, ended up offending the trans community for misrepresentation. Then there was Kockoo, played by Kubbra Sait, in Sacred Games. Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and Kockoo's love story was not only unique, but it was also daring. You'd expect OTT platforms to shatter stereotypes with shows and plots like these. But mainstream Bollywood is a whole other ball game.