Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is a path-breaking movie when it comes to mainstream Bollywood. For the first time, we have a same-sex love story as the crux of the film, with an A-lister like Sonam Kapoor taking on the risque role. And yet, while the theme is taboo for many in our conservative society, director Shelly Chopra Dhar has made sure that the movie is tailored for the general audience for the message to permeate properly. The movie stars Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Juhi Chawla, Regina Cassandra and Abhishek Duhan. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga Movie Review: Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao Pitch in Heart-Warming Performances in Sonam Kapoor’s Unusual Love Story.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga revolves around Sweety, played by Sonam Kapoor, and her chance encounter with Sahil, played by Rajkummar Rao, a failing writer. An obsessed Sahil follows her back to her town where he finds out she is in love...with a girl. There are seven main characters in the film, each crucial to the development of Sweety's love story. In this SPOILER-ish feature, we rank each character based on how impactful they were by the end of the film. You can beg to differ in the comments section below. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga: Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Sonam Kapoor’s Film Banned in Gulf for Showing Lesbian Love Story?

Kuhu

Played By: Regina Cassandra

Kuhu is Sweety's secret lover. In the beginning, Kuhu tries to be a matchmaker for Sweety and her elder brother (Akshay Oberoi, in a cameo). But Sweety is fascinated with Kuhu, who is also a lesbian. The movie, however, doesn't give her character much scope, as we really don't know much about her. Except that she is Sweety's paramour and her happy ending.

Babloo

Played By: Abhishek Duhan

Babloo is the protagonist's elder brother. He is narrow-minded, bigoted and bullish in nature, though in a couple of scenes, he does show that he cares for his sister. However, his determined doggedness to suppress Sweety's homosexual side does nothing but cause emotional harm. Babloo is particularly deplorable as a teen where he rags a kid because he is gay.

Daadi

Played By: Madhumalti Kapoor

Balbir's mother belongs to the old generation who thinks men should never enter into the kitchen, unless it is to fix the gas connection. It is her stubborn whims that makes Balbir chose to be a businessman (who ends up specialising in ladies garments, ironically) rather than a master chef, his dream job. Daadi we see in the film looks to have mellowed, but still has a crush on yesteryear legends like Dev Anand and Joy Mukherjee.

Chatro

Played By: Juhi Chawla

The motormouth Chatro is a continuation of the many roles that Juhi has done in the past, like Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke, One 2 ka Four and so on. She is a caterer for Sahil's theatre troupe, who aspires to be an actress but sucks at that. Though she isn't essential to the narrative, Chatro is integral in Balbir broadening his horizons. Also, her love track with Balbir has its cute moments.

Sahil

Played By: Rajkummar Rao

Sahil is the driving force of the plot in the film. The movie even positions itself as his love story, before it shifts its allegiances. A struggling writer, Sahil is looking for a great story and finds it within himself in pursuit to help a girl he loved. He may be the most selfless character in the film, helping the love of his life getting her love back. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam's Ajay Devgn and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai's Salman Khan would be proud. Though, it would have been better if the film had downplayed his role and let the next entry grow better.

Sweety

Played By: Sonam Kapoor

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is primarily Sweety's story of how she deals with sexual identity. Possessing a miserable childhood with a couple of scarring incidents, Sweety forlornly represses her sexuality to keep her family happy. However, a romance with the UK-returned Kuhu gives her a chance to let her self be free. The only reason why Sweety doesn't top the list, is because the film sanitises her love story to make it palatable for the general audience. Sonam's uneven performance hardly helps matters. And yet, this character should be memorable just for being ground-breaking in Bollywood terms.

Balbir

Played By: Anil Kapoor

Balbir may be that sweet, loving dad that every kid may wish for. But he is not without his own flaws. His upbringing within the societal norms means his behaviour feels ruled by the diktats around him. So much that he even forgoes his dreams of being a chef to take up business. At the start, a relative tells him to get his daughter, who has just topped university, married, and he laughingly agrees. The idea of intercaste marriage and of course, same-sex romance frightens him rather than disgusts him. But he is a man who is filled with love and it is this love that trumps over his dogged views and gives the movie and Sweety the happy ending they deserve.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2019 04:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).