We are in the middle of a pandemic and there’s nowhere to go. If you’re single on top of that, chances are you’ll be lying on the couch on Valentine’s Day alone, browsing through your streaming apps mindlessly until you find something to watch. I’ve never cared for this capitalistic and disingenuous holiday. However, I do love a good rom-com, which is why I present to you a favorite of mine, Queen.
Queen is a light-hearted Bollywood film that tells the story of Rani, a naive bride-to-be whose wedding is called off by her busy and constantly traveling fiancé. Rani’s world is crushed as her dream wedding and future life crumbles in front of her. She’s afraid of the disappointment and embarrassment the canceled wedding has brought upon her loving yet overprotective parents.
This film is a story about coping with grief, there are no rules or instructions on how to cope with life’s challenges. Rani’s way of coping is to go on her honeymoon alone, despite her parents’ fear of letting her travel alone. Her itinerary begins in Paris where she mopes around, having no fun at all until she meets Vijay. She is everything Rani is not: loud, promiscuous, outspoken, and a party animal. Rani’s luck changes when she befriends Vijay, she shows her a world completely alienated from her own and shows her how to let loose, make her own decisions and live life to the fullest regardless of other people’s opinions.
In Amsterdam, Rani’s metamorphosis continues as she meets new friends, different cultures, and has new experiences. She begins to realize that her fiancé wasn’t such a great guy after all and that she wasn’t all that in love with him. By the end of the film, Rani has transformed into the truest version of herself, the part that was buried underneath her insecurities and fears. Queen is the perfect film to watch this Valentine’s Day because it’s not a perfect story: the main character doesn’t get the guy in the end. It gives us a beautiful and important message of self-empowerment and how the worst problems in our lives can sometimes bring forth the best outcomes. This Valentine’s Day and every one after that, whether we’re single or not, we should prioritize ourselves and spoil ourselves with love and good films!
