Ki and Ka trailer: Arjun-Kareena film shatters some myths of 'Hindustani sabhyata'!

R Balki's a revolutionary filmmaker. Yet he doesn't make films with an intention to create a revolution of sorts. Ditto for Ki and Ka. From a time when people scoffed off at the mere idea of visualising Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor as a couple to now loving them and calling their jodi one of the most refreshing pairings of recent times. Well, they say three things exists - atoms, spaces and opinions. And it doesn't take too much for opinions to shift. Same has happened for Ki and Ka. 

Revolving around the lives of Kia and Kabir, the film is a fresh take on relationships- one where the wife is the husband and the husband plays the wife. Nahi samjhe? It's a story of role reversal. Living in a patriarchal society for ages now, somewhere all our perceptions about life are a little prejudiced. Will this film be the shape-shifter? It might well be one. But that 'change' isn't the idea behind making a film like Ki and Ka. Agrees Arjun, "We are not making films to bring in a revolution in the society. Practically speaking, it will never happen with just one film or even ten films like this. But there needs to be a certain growth in that direction. That's what we hope happens. Like in Kareena's relationship with Saif, it's a very healthy, balanced division that exists. I will be happy if we can achieve that mid-point in our lives at least."

Not only does Balki hit out at the pre-conceived societal norms in a subtle fashion, he also puts light at the way the 'Hindustani sabhyata' dictates the way we function in our day to day lives. Come on, let's face it! We live in a time zone, a society which is plagued by several taboos- some of  which are not even qualified enough to be tagged taboos. And Balki's instrumental in tackling a few of them in his next. There might be more but these are the three we found from the trailer itself. 

Lad-ka ya Lad-ki?

India might be a developing nation but even in remotest corners, a girl child fights for her rights and her education. A percentage of women (some even learned, qualified ones) are reduced to playing home-makers and sacrifice their dreams and ambitions to keep up with their family life while the man goes out, works for a 9-5 shift to run the household. That's a stereotypical Indian family for most of us. Trust me when I say this: It isn't wrong. At least not when our mothers or sisters or wives willingly give in to that condition. It's wrong when they are forced to do it. But the usual tradition goes like this: A lad-ka and lad-ki can never be equal and that's where the gender bias comes into play. The trailer starts with that track and deserves whistles. Arjun's character clearly defines the age-old meaning of ladka and ladki according to the Hindustani sabhyata that has been fed to us across the ancestral tree. And Balki's bang on! "Main aapki confusion samjah sakta hoon. Ghar sambhale toh ki. Bahar jaake kaam kare toh ka," he explains. Arjun doesn't scream or shout but the underlying message is subtly brought out. *Slow claps*

Tu gay hai kya?

If this wasn't enough, then there's more. Don't want to get married? Want to be a house husband? Don't have ambitions? Prefer finishing household chores than going out and working in an office environment? In short: ladkio ke kaam karna acha lagta hai? Then toh definitely gay hai! And up comes another hard-hitting line. In the movie, Arjun wants to be like his mother- a simple housewife who doesn't have to go and spend 8 hours in the office but rather spends those many hours in making sure the house runs perfectly! And like he says, "Main gay nahi hoon. Sex change operation nahi karana chahta. I like women. I like whiskey." So stop stereotyping!

Sex? Beep beep!

One thing that I love about the trailer is it doesn't preach feminism in any manner. This isn't yet another melodramatic film on women empowerment with all the bhashanbaazi and the melodrama. This is a simple, quirky, slice of life tale that brings out the prevalent situation in the society and gives an insight into how the gender divide can be avoided. What we love most about it? The progressive take on relationships! Indians love the closet more than anything else. You talking about sex? 'Oh my God' is how people often react. Or maybe just a change-the-topic-I-am-uncomfortable expression on their face might help divert the point of discussion. But let's face it. We talk, think and have sex running on our minds and whoever disagrees knows it's a lie. But our upbringing doesn't permit us to discuss that in public, especially with our parents. But at a time when India is making rapid strides to the moon, we believe parents too can be more like a friend to their children and talk about these i-should-not-talk-about stuff more openly. Here, Kia's mother is shown as a progressive woman. Rishta tay kia toh kya poocha? "Sex ho gaya na? Important before commitment," Bebo's mom asks. That's definitely not Indian culture, many would say. But we aren't too far off either! 

Women don't discuss sex as much!

Watch the last scene of the trailer. It's funny yet realistic. While most of us think it's the male population who always have sex on their minds, Balki has thrown light on the not-accepted reality. Like Vidya Balan had said on Koffee with Karan: "Women need it, like it and want it as much as men do." The epic 15 seconds in the end will hammer that statement and how! We love.