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Sheesha

Name: Sheesha
Director: Ashu Trikha
Released: 2005
Duration: 140 min

Representation Score

4.5/10

Fair

2005

Director

Ashu Trikha

Runtime

140 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Sheesha operates as a conventional dramatic thriller that relies heavily on established melodramatic clichés. While it provides a female protagonist with professional competence, the narrative ultimately centers on her victimization and traditional domestic roles. The film's approach to diversity is functional rather than challenging. Disability and international settings are used to heighten emotional stakes and plot tension, but they do not offer meaningful control or explore multiple aspects of identity.

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Category Breakdown

Does Sheesha have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses on a heterosexual relationship between Sia and Raj. It does not include any non-binary or transgender identities or stories that challenge the idea that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Sheesha portray gender?

Fair

Sia is a businesswoman who has a strong role in driving the story, but she is often shown as a victim of men's misconduct. Her marriage is portrayed as a practical arrangement for caregiving.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Sheesha?

Fair

The story alternates between Bangkok and the United States, featuring a Caucasian character named Diana. These international elements serve as a backdrop for a localized thriller without delving deeply into racial dynamics.

How does Sheesha represent religion and culture?

Limited

The plot highlights traditional family duties and the tragedy of domestic disruptions. It follows typical aspirations for business success in the West without critiquing broader societal structures.

Does Sheesha include disability representation?

Limited

Ria’s deafness and non-verbal status drive the central plot. However, her character primarily serves as a tool for melodrama and a catalyst for the protagonist's trauma.

Present on Screen

Features a female protagonist with significant economic influence and professional skills.
Includes international settings that provide a cross-cultural backdrop for the drama.

Limited or Absent

Avoid using disability as a mere plot device to elicit melodrama or trauma.
Could move beyond traditional gendered power dynamics and victim clichés.
Lacks meaningful engagement with racial or post-colonial dynamics in its international settings.

Official Synopsis

Businesswoman Sia Malhotra lives a wealthy lifestyle in Bangkok, along with her twin, Ria, who is deaf and dumb due to a neurological disorder. She meets with Raj Oberoi, and both fall in love. Their endeavors to cure Ria are all in vain. Sia plans to travel to the United States to improve her business, and has no one to look after Ria. So she decides to get married to Raj so that he could move in with Ria and look after her. Raj agrees, and both obtain a marriage certificate from Pattaya City Hall, and Sia departs for America. Sia does not know that after her return she will be a suspect in the brutal killing of a female Caucasian, Diana, and will not be permitted to leave Bangkok; and she will face further trauma and shock when she finds that her husband has been sexually molesting her handicapped sister.

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