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Summary / Analysis
Spoiler alert! Please do not read the following plot summary if you have not seen the film.
PLOT SUMMARY
Laila lives with her mother Shubhangi, dad Baljeet and brother Monu in Delhi, where she attends college in DU. Laila has cerebral palsy which impairs her motor functions but not her intelligence. She composes music, plays chess and excels at creative writing, but she needs to be carried upstairs in her wheelchair at college when the lift doesn't work. She is bathed and tended by her mother with whom she has a deeply loving bond.
But Laila's also fascinated by sex and masturbates to online porn sites. She has Dhruv, her friend with benefits, who's physically challenged but happy to kiss Laila in the college lab. Laila writes the music for her college band Tribes and has a huge crush on lead singer Nima. She breaks up with an upset Dhruv over Nima.
Tribes wins a DU music contest but Laila feels miserable when the judge announces they were awarded only because of her special challenge. When the judge asks for her response, Laila shows her the finger and leaves.
Nima goes to reassure Laila and she expresses her feelings for him - but he backs off, leaving Laila feeling crushed. Shubhangi discovers Laila is not going to college and confronts her. Laila breaks down and tells her she's feeling humiliated by Nima's rejection. Shubhangi decides Laila should take up an NYU creative writing course offer. She convinces her father to let Laila go and accompanies her to New York where Laila befriends a homeless man and beats him in chess.
One day, caught in a demonstration against racist cops, Laila meets Khanum, a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi girl. As they recover from tear gas, the two form a friendship. Meanwhile, Laila's professor introduces her to Jared, her writing assistant, whom she finds cute and who cheerfully kisses her when she says this doesn't necessarily mean marriage. Laila surreptitiously sells her gold chain, a gift from her grandmother, to buy an IPad with a voice function. Her mother is very upset at this.
Laila and Khanum go to a bar where Laila has her first drink, a Margarita with a straw. Khanum makes her dance with her and their attraction grows, leading to a sensuous lesbian encounter. Meanwhile, Shubhangi discovers porn sites on Laila's computer and confronts her at which Laila is furious and yells she needs her privacy. Shubhangi has to leave for India and Laila decides to move in with Khanum. Her carer Nancy insists she will look after Laila as she says a lover-carer relationship doesn't work, making it clear she knows, even if Laila's mother doesn't.
Khanum and Laila have a wonderful time exploring NYC and Khanum tells Laila how she came out to her own mother. One day, at Jared's house, Laila uses the bathroom and Jared helps her, after which their attraction grows and they have sex. Laila is consumed with guilt but can't tell Khanum, who gets a visa to visit India with Laila and is very excited.
The girls arrive and Laila tells Dhruv about her sexuality who commends her for her 'evolved choice'. Laila tries to tell Shubhangi she is bisexual. First, Shubhangi doesn't understand. Then, she is deeply upset and grows hostile to Khanum. Shubhangi sits in front of her mirror one day and takes off a wig under which her hair is short and thin. She breaks down.
Suddenly, Shubhangi is taken ill and Laila discovers she is suffering from late-stage colon cancer. Their roles are reversed as Laila starts taking care of Shubhangi and also comforts her distraught father. Laila tells Khanum about her fling with Jared. Khanum is upset and angry but Laila insists she doesn't want secrets between them.
Just before she passes on, Shubhangi tells Laila she loves her and she should return to America. Laila is shattered by Shubhangi's passing but decides she won't return to NYC. She asks her family to play Shubhangi's songs at the funeral. Khanum forgives Laila and leaves.
One day, Laila goes alone to the beauty parlour and has her hair and nails done. Her friends invite her to a movie but she says she has a date.
Laila then goes alone to a restaurant and orders a Margarita with a straw, toasting her mother and her own strong self.
Laila lives with her mother Shubhangi, dad Baljeet and brother Monu in Delhi, where she attends college in DU. Laila has cerebral palsy which impairs her motor functions but not her intelligence. She composes music, plays chess and excels at creative writing, but she needs to be carried upstairs in her wheelchair at college when the lift doesn't work. She is bathed and tended by her mother with whom she has a deeply loving bond.
But Laila's also fascinated by sex and masturbates to online porn sites. She has Dhruv, her friend with benefits, who's physically challenged but happy to kiss Laila in the college lab. Laila writes the music for her college band Tribes and has a huge crush on lead singer Nima. She breaks up with an upset Dhruv over Nima.
Tribes wins a DU music contest but Laila feels miserable when the judge announces they were awarded only because of her special challenge. When the judge asks for her response, Laila shows her the finger and leaves.
Nima goes to reassure Laila and she expresses her feelings for him - but he backs off, leaving Laila feeling crushed. Shubhangi discovers Laila is not going to college and confronts her. Laila breaks down and tells her she's feeling humiliated by Nima's rejection. Shubhangi decides Laila should take up an NYU creative writing course offer. She convinces her father to let Laila go and accompanies her to New York where Laila befriends a homeless man and beats him in chess.
One day, caught in a demonstration against racist cops, Laila meets Khanum, a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi girl. As they recover from tear gas, the two form a friendship. Meanwhile, Laila's professor introduces her to Jared, her writing assistant, whom she finds cute and who cheerfully kisses her when she says this doesn't necessarily mean marriage. Laila surreptitiously sells her gold chain, a gift from her grandmother, to buy an IPad with a voice function. Her mother is very upset at this.
Laila and Khanum go to a bar where Laila has her first drink, a Margarita with a straw. Khanum makes her dance with her and their attraction grows, leading to a sensuous lesbian encounter. Meanwhile, Shubhangi discovers porn sites on Laila's computer and confronts her at which Laila is furious and yells she needs her privacy. Shubhangi has to leave for India and Laila decides to move in with Khanum. Her carer Nancy insists she will look after Laila as she says a lover-carer relationship doesn't work, making it clear she knows, even if Laila's mother doesn't.
Khanum and Laila have a wonderful time exploring NYC and Khanum tells Laila how she came out to her own mother. One day, at Jared's house, Laila uses the bathroom and Jared helps her, after which their attraction grows and they have sex. Laila is consumed with guilt but can't tell Khanum, who gets a visa to visit India with Laila and is very excited.
The girls arrive and Laila tells Dhruv about her sexuality who commends her for her 'evolved choice'. Laila tries to tell Shubhangi she is bisexual. First, Shubhangi doesn't understand. Then, she is deeply upset and grows hostile to Khanum. Shubhangi sits in front of her mirror one day and takes off a wig under which her hair is short and thin. She breaks down.
Suddenly, Shubhangi is taken ill and Laila discovers she is suffering from late-stage colon cancer. Their roles are reversed as Laila starts taking care of Shubhangi and also comforts her distraught father. Laila tells Khanum about her fling with Jared. Khanum is upset and angry but Laila insists she doesn't want secrets between them.
Just before she passes on, Shubhangi tells Laila she loves her and she should return to America. Laila is shattered by Shubhangi's passing but decides she won't return to NYC. She asks her family to play Shubhangi's songs at the funeral. Khanum forgives Laila and leaves.
One day, Laila goes alone to the beauty parlour and has her hair and nails done. Her friends invite her to a movie but she says she has a date.
Laila then goes alone to a restaurant and orders a Margarita with a straw, toasting her mother and her own strong self.
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Twitter Reaction
Twitterati are raving about Shonali Bose's Margarita With A Straw. Here's what the audience thinks about the film...
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Positive tweets
'Cinema with Soul' is a rarity in today's time. Shonali Bose's 'Margarita with a Straw' is one such film. Go & watch it friends.:)
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) April 17, 2015 Bold n Beautiful is Margarita With A Straw. Superlative performance from @Kalkikanmani. Immaculately and sincerely crafted by Shonali.
— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) April 17, 2015 'COURT' and 'MARGARITA WITH A STRAW'. Its Diwali for film lovers. Don't miss either. (2/2)
— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) April 16, 2015 Enjoying a Margarita with a Straw, with the cast and crew of this brilliant, deeply moving film. pic.twitter.com/w7qemfq9Nk
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) April 15, 2015 FAQs
- What is the release date of 'Margarita, With A Straw'?
Release date of Kalki Koechlin and Revathi starrer 'Margarita, With A Straw' is 2015-04-17. - Who are the actors in 'Margarita, With A Straw'?
'Margarita, With A Straw' star cast includes Kalki Koechlin, Revathi, Sayani Gupta and William Moseley. - What is Genre of 'Margarita, With A Straw'?
'Margarita, With A Straw' belongs to 'Drama' genre. - In Which Languages is 'Margarita, With A Straw' releasing?
'Margarita, With A Straw' is releasing in Hindi.