If they depend on the light from the window, then you'll reduce dli by putting any sort of film on the glass.. light will be attenuated for sure.
if they know the friend grows already, then it really doesn't help at this point, eh? And if it does matter, well there's no solution fitting his need that won't negatively impact the plant, which probably wasn't getting much light to start if it was sitting near a window as its only source.
it's gong to be a scraggily small plant either way, i guess? LOL ... wants/needs contradicting reality doesn't turn out well.
An upstairs room with a window in appropriate direction?