pflag still waving, since 1973

Barbara and I were the only two that ventured to see this charming film tonight.
I knew it to be a romance, so that meant there would be dancing and singing - Bollywood!
Sure enough, it was a romance on the screen at the Royal of Pooler, but not of standard issue.
This was about a lesbian romance, though very chaste, as befitting an Indian film.
I had suspected as much during a dining room scene. The girl's brother had told their father that the girl was secretly meeting "a Muslim boy" in Delhi. When the girl protested that she was not, her brother dared her to tell their father the truth. She declined to further refute his allegation, knowing her family would be chagrined if she revealed her true love interest.

The girl is Sweety, just to the right of the central man, her father.
The pair are real-life daughter and father, Sonam Kapoor and Anil Kapoor. Both are regarded as Bollywood royalty, with him in films for forty years.
In other words, they starred in this because they see the film as important.
They are not alone in that belief.
The film's screenplay has been chosen to become a permanent part of the core collection at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences Library - the location commonly known as The Oscars Library.
The reason is simple: this film is softly pushing the LGBTQ issue in India, with the support of several of the film industry's best-loved actors, producers, and musicians.
Why do I say that it is softly pushing?
The film is rated for all-ages viewing. Never is there any nudity, never is there any physical touching beyond hugging, never is the word "homosexual" even uttered.
Never, ever, not even once.
Even the name of the film is demure: "How I Felt When I Saw That Girl". That happens to be echoed in the film itself, as the title of the musical play devised by Sweety's new-found, supportive friend, Sahil (in the striped shirt, beside Anil). That playwright is well-embodied by Rajkummar Rao, a highly-respected Indian actor. When he describes the play as "a romance which begins at a wedding, when two strangers meet and realize they are meant to be together", everyone is on board with the project, as they assume it is about a woman and a man. However, he allows all to believe it may be a comedy, after the big stir when he casts Sweety with another woman, Kuhu - the woman he knows to be her true love in the real story in the film, played warmly by long-time actress Regina Cassandra. (She is the only key player not shown in the above photo.)
Speaking of comedy, the popular Brijendra Kala and new-comer Seema Bhargava are wonderful as money gambling house servants with a matchmaking bent! (He is in the photo, far left.)
More comedy is added by the playwright's caterer, with lofty aspirations to be an actress. (smile) Chatro is quite charmingly portrayed by Juhi Chawla, well-known for her comedic timing and joyful personas. She also serves as a distracting love interest for Sweety's dad. (She's on the far right in the photo.)

PFLAG has officially existed in the USA since 1973. Originally designated with a hyphen between the "P" and the "F", Parents and Friends of Lesbians And Gays still exists today. I first joined the group while stationed in San Diego in 1983. Having been in the Navy for several years, and active with community theatre while stationed in Okinawa, I wanted to officially show my support for the rights of non-heterosexuals to love and to marry.
I still feel that way.
That's why I joined the First City Network more than a decade ago. (Savannah still does not have a PFLAG chapter.)
That's why I have attended Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church even longer than that.
That's why I'm going to join the 2007 group, Straight For Equality.

The Indian community at large may not yet be ready for this movie. As well as poor attendance, I can imagine that patrons have also walked out, as they did for the musical play in the film itself.
It's important to realize that their reactions are okay. The reason those reactions are okay is because those patrons are allowed to make their choices.
They are free to choose.
That is all that is being asked by the film: that all people be granted that freedom of choice, not only in their viewing pleasure, but also in their love life.
That sounds like a reasonable request to me.
i thank You, God, that i have that freedom of choice.