Rainbow Rishta Review: Amazon Prime Series Celebrates Queer Love With a Gentle, Utopian Gaze! (LatestLY Exclusive)

Rainbow Rishta Review: It's quite heartening to see more and more content on the LGBTQ+ community on screen these days. Amazon Prime's Rainbow Rishta also comes at a very opportune time when the Supreme Court has ruled against legalising same-sex marriage. The six stories are executed well like any other people going through tough times with everyone around. While it's great to see them celebrate love here, Rainbow Rishta does make it seem like it is set in an aspirational make-believe world. Rainbow Rishta Trailer: Trinetra Haldar, Aishwarya Ayushmaan, and Daniella Mendonca Star in Amazon Prime's Unscripted LGBTQIA+ Love Story Series (Watch Video).

Most of the characters are openly LGBTQ+, though a few still face family opposition. The series portrays queer individuals as they are, without concealing their identities. Aneez and Sanam, a lesbian couple, openly search for a house in Guwahati. Transwoman Denialla is getting ready for her wedding with Joel. Trinetra, a famous transwoman from Made In Heaven season 2, navigates the highs and lows of searching for love. The dynamics of the gay couple Soham and Suresh are intricate. A human rights lawyer expresses themselves on stage as a drag performer. Sadam, a resident of Manipur, anxiously awaits a Mumbai visitor.

What makes this series special is that Rainbow Rishta doesn't aim to preach, educate, or sensitize anyone. It's a docu-series featuring regular people dealing with the challenges of being true to themselves. It's a celebration of self and love. Ayushmann's struggle to come out to his parents and hoping they'll understand is relatable even for cisgender people. Often, we withhold significant feelings from our parents due to fear of rejection or hurt.

While this approach makes it a compelling watch, I wonder if some conflict could have been included to add depth. It seems almost too perfect, with minimal resistance, except for a few brokers refusing to show flats to Sanam and Aneez due to their queer status. Some conflict resolution could have amplified the triumph of love over stigma. Additionally, some scenes could benefit from more context. Daniella and Joel's sudden rooftop argument leaves viewers perplexed about the reason behind their fight.

Watch the trailer of Rainbow Rishta

Interestingly, what truly strikes me here is not just the presence of queer couples but the unwavering support from their parents, particularly the mothers of Daniella and Joel, and the parents of Trinetra. The mothers' heartfelt embrace of Daniella and Joel's relationship is heartwarming. Trinetra's parents, on the other hand, voiced some of the most pragmatic insights. This stems from the lack of widespread awareness and a manual to guide them. Such parents deserve our admiration and respect, not just for accepting their children as they are but also for their genuine effort to understand more. Their journey towards full acceptance may not have been instantaneous, but once they came on board, they were committed to doing everything right. Same-Sex Marriage: Review Petition Filed in Supreme Court Over Verdict on Plea Seeking Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples.

Final Thoughts

Rainbow Rishta should not be watched as a portrayal that exposes the struggles of being a queer person in India. Instead, it should be seen as a celebration. While introducing some conflict could have added depth to the stories, the real beauty lies in its capacity to present the narratives in a way that even a cisgender person can relate to. Rainbow Rishta streams on Amazon Prime.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2023 11:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).