Woman's Day gift

Never really celebrated woman's day ever in my life. So when the plan of watching a movie with my colleagues came up, I was game for it. Well I had nothing else better to do anyway. We planned to watch Queen. I wanted to see Queen ever since the trailer came up. So the movie starts on a high note. Cut to the big fat Indian wedding where everything is haywire and which is so realistic cause that's what exactly happens in Indian weddings. Then there's a song where the uncles and aunties break into a jig. And midst the chaos our bride to be "Rani" is nervous and anxious about her first night after the wedding. 

Tragedy strikes when the wedding is called off a day before by the groom as he thinks that Rani is no longer the person he wants to spend his life with as he is a changed person. So Rani locks herself in a room and refuses to face her family ashamed of the consequences. A day passes and reality sinks in eventually when her grandmother narrates the story of her parting with her Pakistani lover later marrying her grandfather and that everything happens for good. This is not your typical Indian girl who would sulk and cry over her cancelled wedding. Instead Rani embarks a journey of self discovery by going alone on her honeymoon trip to Paris where she always wanted to go. Surprisingly a girl who has never stepped outside her house without being escorted by her brother sets off to go to Paris all by herself. A story of girl meets world. And lets face it who doesn't love coming of age movies? Now in Paris she befriends a hotel worker, a half Parisian and half Indian girl, Vijayalakshmi. So Rani eventually loosens up but never does she lose her cultural upbringing even when she is drunk in a Paris party. The scene when she is drunk for the first time is so breathing taking beautiful that you would fall for her even if she is drunk. I dare you to watch the movie and not fall in love with her. The movie has a message to all the Indian women that no matter what life is all about taking chances and even with our short comings we can emerge victorious.

Thanks to Vijayalakshmi, Rani's 3 roommates (a cute little Japanese, a black Frenchman, a hunky Spaniard) and not to mention the coquettish Italian chef, that she finally learns to love herself and embraces life. She does everything what she never imagined she would do, sharing a room with three dudes, getting drunk, sharing a "lip to lip kiss" as she puts it, participating in a cooking competition, et al. She is the kind of girl who has never done anything wrong in her life and always obeyed everyone. There are too many memorable scenes to list. There are moments you feel Rani's roommate genuinely falling for her. And how I wished it would blossom into something more. I mean who wouldn't, she is so sweet. What I loved the most about the movie is that Rani doesn't go back to her fiancé when he tries to lure her back now that she is no longer the demure and timid girl she used to be. So finally she returns home with an air of confidence and bids her fiancé goodbye with a hug saying thank you. Thanking him for dumping her just before the wedding otherwise she would have never discovered her inner self. Walking out of the theatre I was fantasizing about what Rani would do next and how her life would eventually shape up. It is a rare thing I do to think about a movie character. This woman's day was special with "Rani" which actually means Queen and indeed she is the Queen of hearts!

Watch the trailer: http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/watch-trailer-kanagan-ranaut-in---queen-/1210249/

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

The film looked like a amazing movie. I like the films from India. The clothing and energy make the movies beautiful and entertaining. Thank you for your thoughts and description.
Coyote

[Anita Singh]

You are most welcome!