Romance, Action, Drama  •  2018  •  115 min

Awe! (2018)

Awe! poster

Awe! (2018)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Trans: Positive
Family Values: Strongly Progressive

Viewer Rating
8.2

Overview

Awe! is a 2018 Indian psychological thriller directed by Prasanth Varma that follows the intertwined lives of a diverse cast of characters connected by an unexplained thread. The film leans strongly progressive, owing to its exploration of mental health, LGBTQ+ themes, and non-traditional family structures. It features a positive portrayal of a lesbian couple and an affirming storyline centered on a trans man's experience. These sensitive and inclusive representations are key to the film’s progressive labeling, aligning with broader cultural shifts toward identity acceptance.


Starring Cast

Kajal Aggarwal  •   Nithya Menen  •   Srinivas Avasarala

Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Progressive

Primary

Political: Leans Left
Confidence: High

The film leans left by empathetically exploring mental health struggles and championing individual identity and self-acceptance, aligning with progressive values of inclusivity and personal freedom.

Diversity: High
Confidence: High

The movie features a diverse ensemble cast and explores themes that challenge traditional societal norms, including a prominent storyline about a lesbian couple and a focus on mental health and female agency. The narrative provides an explicit critique of traditional societal expectations.

Secondary

LGBTQ: Positive
Confidence: High

Awe! features a significant subplot involving a lesbian relationship, depicted with sensitivity and dignity. The narrative explores the character's internal struggle for acceptance from her conservative parents, treating her emotions and identity with respect. Despite a complex psychological twist, the film avoids harmful stereotypes and frames challenges as external, resulting in an overall affirming portrayal of queer identity.

Trans: Positive
Confidence: High

The film "Awe!" features Krishnaveni, a trans man, whose character arc explores his identity and love for Radha with dignity and complexity. The portrayal is affirming, presenting his trans identity as a genuine aspect of his being rather than a source of ridicule or villainy. The narrative validates his experiences and relationships, contributing to a net positive impact on trans representation.

Family Values: Strongly Progressive
Confidence: High

The film portrays a same-sex relationship positively, with a character seeking parental acceptance for her partner, thereby celebrating an alternative family structure and implicitly questioning traditional parental authority regarding relationship choices.

Female Combat: No
Confidence: High

The film "Awe!" is a psychological thriller that explores the interconnected lives and mental states of its characters. It does not contain any scenes depicting female characters engaging in or winning direct physical combat against male opponents. The narrative focuses on psychological drama rather than action sequences.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film "Awe!" features an original story with characters created specifically for this production. There are no pre-existing source materials, historical figures, or legacy characters from which a gender could be swapped.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

Awe! is an original film with characters created specifically for this production. There are no pre-existing source materials, prior adaptations, or historical figures for its characters, meaning no established racial identities could have been altered.

Hinduism: N/A
Confidence: High

Present only as a cultural backdrop with no significant narrative weight or thematic exploration.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

8.2

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
7.6
The Movie Database logo
7.1

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
10.0
Metacritic logo
N/A

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