'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' review: Ayushmann, Vaani's film is brave, entertaining and refreshing

Over the years, Ayushmann Khurrana has consistently taken up projects that are message-driven and entertaining. Khurrana, with his films, has in a short span become one of the few actors whose films do well at the box office without adhering to any formula. So when Khurrana announces a new film, expectations are bound to be high. His latest 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' directed by ace filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor manages to meet expectations to a great extent.

*this review may contain spoilers

He is a brawny, alpha man with bulging biceps. She ispretty with a figure to die for. They both work in a gym.Physical attraction is obvious. So when Manu Munjal(Khurrana)- a Chandigarh boy who pumps iron for a living falls for the pretty, attractive Maanvi Brar(Vaani Kapoor)- sparks fly and leads to a lot of sex. His overbearing parents urge him to get married to her as she is the sophisticated 'Sector 4' type (a posh area in Chandigarh) and he is almost convinced that she is the one until a deep dark secret of Maanvi's comes tumbling out and things turn haywire.

Kapoor's film uses ample humour and a certain amount of stereotypes to deal with the core plot which revolves around a transwoman and cis man. So words like 'Chhakka' (Hindi for eunuchs), mardo wali shakal (a woman with a face like a man), paagalon ka doctor( for psychiatrist) is used by the characters amply throughout the film. They may make you cringe but it is to drive home the point of how society remains oblivious and insensitive to issues like gender fluidity or mental health.

Manu's reactions initially are insensitive and disgusting when he finds out about Maanvi's past but also very relatable. So is Maanvi's initial hesitation to go on a date with Manu. The beauty of 'Chandigarh Kare Ashiqui' lies in its writing by Kapoor, Tushar Paranjapeand Supratik Sen who also doubles up as the screenplay writer. The humour is the little detailings, the poignancy of a matter as sensitive as gender fluidity is in how the characters and their backgrounds unravelled. In hero is of course an alpha male but in reality, a softie who is bullied by his two sisters at home. The stronger one is the woman or trans girl as we soon get to know, who despite appearing shy and vulnerable in the beginning turns out to be a person with more grit and personality.