Ben Hardy, Jason Patel and the Directors of Unicorns on a Daring Exploration of Identity and Love
We sat down with the creative minds and stars behind Unicorns, a heartfelt and unapologetically bold film that explores love, masculinity, and identity across cultural and societal lines speaking with co-directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, along with cast members Ben Hardy and Jason Patel.
For James Krishna Floyd, the journey began with a story he already felt compelled to tell. However, everything shifted when he met Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first publicly out Muslim drag queen whose experiences added profound authenticity and perspective to the story. Asifa eventually came on board as both a consultant and co-producer, ensuring the film’s representation of queer South Asian life was accurate and grounded. Floyd shared, “Asifa became the soul of the story in a way. She brought something you can’t write unless you’ve lived it.”
At the center of Unicorns is a romance between Luke (Ben Hardy), a straight-presenting single father and mechanic, and Aysha (Jason Patel), a South Asian drag queen. The film doesn’t merely showcase a love story, it interrogates identity, masculinity, and cultural expectations.
Ben Hardy discussed the nuance behind Luke, a character who’s “not trying to define his feelings by labels,” while Jason Patel highlighted the importance of portraying Aysha as fully dimensional, “a living, breathing person with pride and power.”
Director Sally El Hosaini added that Unicorns is ultimately about people defying boxes and scripts. “It’s about recognizing humanity beyond what we expect,” she said.
A standout aspect of the production was the collaborative environment between cast, crew, and consultants. The directors emphasized how critical it was to involve queer voices both in front of and behind the camera.
Jason Patel, who makes his breakout in this role, spoke about the deep responsibility he felt playing Aysha. “There’s a generation of queer South Asians who’ve never seen themselves on screen in this way. I had to get it right.”
Ben Hardy echoed that sentiment, noting how playing opposite Patel required vulnerability, “It was about truth over performance,” he said.
While Unicorns delves into specific communities and identities, its themes are universal—love, acceptance, shame, and personal transformation. As Sally El Hosaini concluded, “It’s a story about love that exists in spaces people might not expect. And that’s what makes it magical—like a unicorn.”
