US President Donald Trump feels great about Ayushmann Khurrana's latest film Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, which features the love story of a gay couple. "Great!" the US president wrote as he retweeted gay rights activist Peter Tatchell's support for the movie.
Tatchell appreciated the film that was released in India after the 'decriminalisation of homosexuality'. “India: A new #Bollywood rom-com featuring a gay romance is hoping to win over older people, following the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Hurrah!” he tweeted.
Great! https://t.co/eDf8ltInmH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2020
"I hope this is the beginning of President Trump's genuine embrace of LGBT+ rights & not just a PR stunt," Mr Tatchell tweeted after.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, which released on Friday, features Ayushmann and Jitendra Kumar in the lead roles. Directed by Himesh Kewalya, the gay rom-com tells the story of two men, Kartik and Aman, and their struggles to convince their families about their relationship. The film also features Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao. The film has been receiving great reviews from audience as well as critics.
While Ayushmann is being lauded for his sustained choice of varied subjects that are usually considered 'taboo', Jitendra is receiving rave reviews for his debut performance. Speaking to THE WEEK earlier, he had said that the film aims to reverse the homophobic narrative. “The only people this could affect adversely are the homophobic. But I am certain that through the course of the film they will hear “this is normal” so many times that they may pause to re-evaluate what they think and believe in. The problem is that we become homophobic because there is a constant narrative floating that 'it’s unnatural',” he said.
Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania, will arrive in India on February 24 for a two-day visit.
