I Can’t Think Straight

Reflections on Love, Culture, Identity - and One Insane Shoot...

Revisiting I Can't Think Straight

As we continue to look back on I Can’t Think Straight, I recall that the script was informed by so much of my own experience with Hanan. As we battled the world to be together, it made me realise that we all have to find our place in the world - to mature and grow - and being queer in a non-welcoming world was a way to really accelerate that maturity.

And we needed to be grown-ups in different ways through the shoot because it was chaotic (more on that in my new video, below!) At the end though, the film made it into the world to incredible support, which told me what I had hoped - that love, identity, and cultural understanding are universal themes that transcend time and always need to be discussed - especially back then…

The Power of Representation

Tala and Leyla’s journey isn’t just about the love between two women, but also about navigating the intricacies of culture, religion, and identity. That wasn’t explored much on screen at the time. Tala, of Palestinian descent, and Leyla, British of Indian heritage, are both forced to reconcile their love with their families’ cultural and religious values. And I wasn’t actually surprised to find out (from fans of the film who kindly reached out) that the tension between personal desires and familial expectations was something that spoke to people from all walks of life—whether they share the characters' cultural backgrounds or not.

The theme meant everything to me. I felt literally compelled to tell a story where love could exist freely, without tragedy as its inevitable ending. Back then, queer love stories often followed a familiar arc: sorrowful endings, heartbreak, and loss. I knew I wanted to create a narrative where love could win—along with joy and authenticity.

The Characters: Tala and Leyla

Tala and Leyla’s story was shaped by the cultural dynamics I knew well. Tala, with her boldness and outward confidence, mirrors the strength that some of us project when we are grappling with personal conflict, or haven’t stopped long enough to consider there even could be a conflict. Leyla, on the other hand, is introspective and quietly determined in her journey toward self-acceptance. Together, as opposites in terms of personality, they face the challenges of living authentically in a world that often demands conformity.

Creating the Magic - Out of Chaos :)

Bringing I Can’t Think Straight to life was, let’s just say, a process. Any movie involves countless hours of collaboration, creativity, and passion. Leading that charge was my producer and wife, Hanan, our cinematographer, Aseem Bajaj, and lead actors Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth. But the actual shoot turned into a challenge; at the time it was a nightmare, but this many years later, we look back and (usually) laugh. Here’s some of the inside scoop on that - all the stuff that did NOT make it into the behind-the-scenes video!