‘Unicorns’ portrays the evolution of a stirring relationship between two people who must put aside their reservations to find happiness.
“Love is love.” It sounds simple enough, yet people are persecuted, shamed and punished for who they choose to care for — not to mention for how they may choose to live their lives. Finding acceptance can be incredibly gratifying, though it’s not always offered by those from whom it would carry the most meaning. Yet, being true to oneself and one’s feelings, no matter how difficult, can be the most fulfilling — even if it opens you up to potential heartache. In Unicorns, a chance meeting of two very dissimilar people opens possibilities that neither ever thought possible.
Luke is a single father working as a mechanic in his father’s garage. Though his young son, Jamie, is top priority, Luke (Ben Hardy) is still trying to make the best of his 20s with his dad’s help. One night, he wanders into a club in a South Asian area, where he sees Aysha (Jason Patel) performing a provocative dance routine to a crowd screaming in adoration. Their eyes meet and Aysha finds Luke in the sea of people. Sharing a passionate kiss, it’s only then he realizes she is a drag queen. In spite of their mutual attraction, Luke flees. But unwilling to let him slip away, Aysha devises a plan for them to get to know each other… which hopefully leads to something more.
One of the refreshing aspects of queer cinema is the confidence and genuineness with which it approaches concepts of gender and sexuality, both of which are fluid in this picture. There’s no element of peering from the outside in or cutting away from intimate moments. It’s about telling a story, not educating the audience. The chemistry between Aysha and Luke radiates from the screen, even as he’s reluctant to admit his feelings didn’t turn off the moment he found out she was a biological male. More important is how that relationship translates when Luke spends time with Ashiq, Aysha’s closeted, devout-Muslim persona.
While many are familiar with the extravagantly dramatic Western drag, South Asian drag skews more towards realism, mimicking the stereotypical Bollywood heroine. “Gaysian” is a niche scene in the UK that glitters all over the screen via Aysha and her closest drag friends. When Aysha takes the stage, she is in her element — and it’s a fun way to earn rent money. Conversely, Luke’s world is far less glamorous, though colour slowly seeps into it as Aysha’s brilliance chases away the darkness.
Watching Luke and Aysha grow closer is a beautiful experience as both actors achieve total authenticity — high praise for Patel who’s starring in his first-ever role.
Unicorns had its world premiere in the Special Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Directors: Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd
Starring: Ben Hardy, Jason Patel and Sagar Radia
