'Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein' Interestingly Subverts The Crazy Obsessive Lover Trope

The Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein trailer that dropped Tuesday makes an interesting overturn of the old film cliché of the obsessive hero stalking, harassing, chasing the heroine who has nothing less than an aversion towards him. Set against the context of a thriller mired with blood, gore and dirty politics, the OTT film stars Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi and Anchal Singh.

Bhasin's Vikrant finds true love in Tripathi's character of Shikha. But Singh as Purva, the daughter of a powerful man with strongmen at his disposal, is madly obsessed with Vikrant and in her relentless pursuit for him, she is ready to strike - or rather arm-twist - every obstacle out of her way.

"As Purva’s ruthless efforts to make him hers begin to destroy all that he holds dear, the mild-mannered Vikrant finds a new side to him emerging," the official synopsis of the film, premiering later this month (find details here), reads. To deal with the sticky situation before him, Vikrant is forced to walk down a dark, dangerous path.

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While the &t=57s">trailer has kept details about the who, what, where of the circumstances in the film fuzzy, the story appears to rotate on the axis of treacherous desire. When passions remain unfulfilled, love turns into a wild obsession. The aashiq then does not fear morality or even the law when going to extreme lengths to "reclaim" his girl.

This is not a novel plot idea. Films across the world have for years churned out rehashes of stalking-fuelled, feverish love scenarios. Remember Fatal Attraction from 1987 or the more recent YOU series. From Bollywood, toxic notables like Darr or the more obscure Aetbaar. 

These titles have managed to dish out the idea of obsessive love without really offering preachy justifications for it, which sets them apart from films like Raanjhanaa that glorify and vindicate the hero who criminally pursues her despite her many refusals.

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein appears to fall in the former category but with a caveat.

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The film holds up Purva, a woman, as the grey character that has the man tightly in her grip and is projected as someone not meant to be liked - particularly in contrast with the more pleasing-looking Shikha.

This too isn't a novel concept (Fatal Attraction is a classic example of the obsessive woman lover) but for Hindi cinema, it is an especially rare one. "Tum Purva ki trophy ho. Aur jeetegi toh wo hi," a voice booms in the background of the trailer as Purva cozies up to a visibly shaken Vikrant.

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein appears to be, and in fact, describes itself as "pulpy" owing to which there are chances the story may fall flat, caught up in its own concocted tangles. But perhaps it can, advertently or inadvertently, come through as a watch that asserts stalking is a crime that carries guilt independent of gender.

That section of the moviegoing audience that is forever twisted up about women committing crimes that are generally attached to men will probably find some solace in the film that will hopefully prompt them to take off their blinkers.

Views expressed are the author's own.