Call it a day--or evening--in the life of two Indian drag queens. Yes, one of the best aspects of Gulabi Aaina or The Pink Mirror is that the urban Indian gay male-mainly drag queen, yes, but also the 'straight acting' one is mirrored on screen. And being able to relate to the characters makes the film more funny, more touching for this audience more than for any other. No, the non-Indian audience, of any sexual orientation, will definitely find it entertaining too. Most Indian, straight, male viewers though may not approve of the in-your-face sexuality of Shabo and Bibbo. Their appearance, their language, their body language will, of course, be termed coarse, and, by some, even obscene--as the Indian censors termed it. i shall not go into the debate over definitions of obscenity but suffice to say that the film is not obscene, especially in comparison with some of the pretentious stuff that passes for art or the obscenely expensive trash that is hyped by the media. In Gulabi Aaina, Sridhar has presented reality--it may not be everyone's reality, it may even embarrass the same people it portrays, but it's a wickedly funny truth that you see in the mirror. Now, why an eight rating... (by the way, i can't comment on the technical aspects or the sub-titling in English) The acting is not perfect--it would be obvious that this is a cast relatively new to being in front of the camera. overall the bitchiness of the two drag queens is overdone, to the point where it acquires a tinge of harmful meanness. the HIV angle is at least a little contrived, maybe even unnecessary. sometimes the indulgent singing by the characters goes on for far too long...(maybe, Sridhar could have managed to cut down the film just enough to qualify this as a short film.) these are some minor irritants to an otherwise enjoyable film.
