even before i started the movie, i knew this wasn’t a character i was supposed to admire. the men who say “he’s literally me” about him are genuinely the most exhausting people to exist because they completely miss the point of the movie. self-destruction is not personality. taking drugs, drinking yourself numb and treating women horribly does not suddenly become profound just because it’s wrapped in good cinematography and sad/amusing background music.
and that’s exactly why this character works.
he’s deeply unlikeable in a way that feels intentional. he infantilises women, romanticises his own misery and moves through life acting like pain excuses cruelty. he visibly does not want to get better and the film never really asks you to root for him either, it asks you to observe him unravel. i think people confuse being able to relate to loneliness with glorifying the person experiencing it.
that being said, the movie itself is incredible. its emotionally suffocating in the best way possible and so self aware about the kind of masculinity it’s portraying. every frame feels chaotic and intimate at the same time. it captures how certain men weaponise sadness to avoid accountability while women are left carrying the emotional damage of their actions. i absolutely adored kalki’s character. she’s everything to me.
i hated him the entire time and i think i was supposed to. that’s what makes the film good (atleast for me)
tw: my exes listen to saali khushi everyday
