Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon will appear together for the first time in an untitled film. Kriti Sanon published the first poster featuring herself and Kapoor on Instagram on Saturday. She also informed her fans and followers that the film would be released in October of this year, but the fans were too early to judge the film based on its poster and show their objection.
Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor have never worked together before, which gives the film a feeling of freshness and novelty. Many admirers expressed their excitement for the film and commended their appealing chemistry. However, a few viewers were puzzled and raised their objections in the comments area.
Netizens Object Kriti Sanon's New Film Poster
In the first look poster, Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor sat on a bike, facing each other against a sunset backdrop. You might think that the couple sitting on the bike parked against a beautiful sunset setting is nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, in the poster, what many viewers found unusual is that Sanon was seated in the seat, while Kapoor sat on the gas tank.
One user wrote, "Isn't it looking kinda weird that the male lead actor is sitting on the tank and female on the seat? Kriti's body structure is actually looking bigger than Shahid's." Another user wrote, "Why is Shahid sitting on Kriti’s lap instead of the other way around? " The third one wrote, "There is something very wrong with the poster...They should've switched their places."
These remarks simply give the impression that people are yet not ready for the role reversal. They are just not okay with a woman taking the lead in a relationship—not that they can see women taking the lead anywhere. According to them, women can't ride a bike, a woman can't initiate a kiss, and above all, a man can't take the back seat.
Suggested Reading: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon To Star In Yet Untitled Film; First Look Out
The film has yet to be titled; production concluded today, and with only a poster to go on, it's too early to speculate on the plot. According to reports, Kapoor plays a robotic specialist in this untitled film, while Sanon plays a robot. However, if Sanon's character will not be a robot but just a simple woman, why is society not ready for the role reversal? Why can't we see a woman loving the way men do? Why can't we welcome a woman with loving qualities that are perceived to be masculine? For example, suppose Sanon's character falls in love with Kapoor's and proposes to him, initiates their first kiss, and encourages them to pursue their relationship further. What if Sanon's character is equally possessive, domineering, and self-sufficient? What exactly is it that cannot be accepted?
The comment section, on the other hand, was too quick to look out for the stereotypical masculinity that Bollywood is known for. Many users believed that Kapoor sat on that gas tank just because he was shorter than Sanon. A user wrote, "Not them making Shahid sit near the fuel tank to make him look taller." Another user wrote, "Shahid to eske B**bs tak hi aya hoga height mai." The third one wrote, "Ye poster romantic kamm aur funny zyada lag ra hai. Upar bithane k bavjud kriti hi lambi dikh rai hai."
Meanwhile, there's a comment that sheds light on how it's high time Bollywood acknowledged their fetish for taller male leads and seeing taller female actor romancing short male lead as unattractive. The comment read," I wish bollywood acknowledged height differences. Zendaya constantly towers over tom in spiderman. and he’s freaking spiderman!!!"
How can one call out and oppose role reversal while seeking stereotypical masculinity in a simple poster? The double standards are clearly visible in the comment section of the newly released poster.