Growing up not as a heterosexual can be hard, especially in India. Individuals with a different sexuality, including homosexuals, recognized themselves as the LGBTQ+ community. It refers to people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or those questioning their sexual orientation or identity), asexual, or intersex.
In recent years, Bollywood has tried to spread acceptance and awareness about the LGBTQ+ community, moving from stereotypical portrayals to more authentic and mature ways. This challenged the existing societal norms to spark important conversations about acceptance and equality.
With films like My Brother….. Nikhil (2005), Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan (2017), Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019), and Badhaai Do (2022) among others are examples of such movies. That made an effort to represent the topic with queer characters in an informative way.
Amid constant development, recognizing the impact of cultural phenomena is essential. Aviator game is an online multiplayer game that became popular among diverse communities including LGBTQ+ members. This article explains the representation of the LGBTQ+ community through Bollywood, So let’s Dive in!
Historical Stereotypes Earlier, the representation of LGBTQ+ characters in Indian cinema was depicted in a mimicked role or as a villain. That reinforced the perception of the community as negative and stereotypical. These portrayals marginalized the members of the group, creating a culture of stigma around their individuality in society.
Moreover, Indian filmmakers consistently tried to portray LGBTQ+ characters. Some presented with comedic effects and some tried to showcase the reality, but all those efforts went into vain.
The reason behind the failure was because those movies tried to challenge the old myth, and thus failed to break the taboo. An example like “Mere Angane Mein” song from the movie Lawaaris, in which Amitabh Bachchan is dressed as a woman who can be mistaken for a eunuch, to make fun of the community.
However, there are few Bollywood movies that depict the community giving justice to their identity through cinema.
Did you know?
According to the Observer Research Foundation, approximates based on the Kinsey scale indicate that there are around 135 million LGBTQ+ people in India, which is about 10% of the country’s 1.4 billion population.
Exploring Authentic Narratives Indian cinema has come a long way in terms of bringing out queer characters and the narratives around their lives on the big screen in a more diverse and complex way.
Some movies paved the path for authentic storytelling, promoting same-sex love, individuality, and acceptance in society. I have mentioned a few of them below.
Fire (1996)
The movie directed by Deepa Mehta, one of the first Indian directors showcased a lesbian relationship. The story starts with two female lead characters, bonded over facing similar issues with their spouses. They later on fell in love with each other along the way.
Their unsuccessful marriages made them gravitate towards each other. Fire was ahead of its time, it explicitly showcased homosexual relationships when it used to be considered taboo.
My Brother……. Nikhil (2005)
Another excellent LGBTQ+ movie set back in Goa in the 90s. This is the story of Nikhil, a state-level swimmer diagnosed with HIV. His life turned upside down as everyone was against him except his sister Anamika and boyfriend Nigel. He even gets arrested by police and kept in isolation because of strict laws at that time.
Eventually, Anamika and Nigel get Nikhil released and start an AIDS assistance organization called People Positive. Later on, his parents also accepted him. However, he died at the end of the movie and his parents started treating Nigel as their son.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan (2020)
Released in 2020, this movie emphasizes homophobia, a deep-rooted stigma in Indian families. It is the story of two men who are in love with each other and live in Delhi together. One day, Aman’s mother convinced him to attend his cousin’s sister’s wedding.
The story unfolds from there revolving around Aman coming out as gay, trying to convince his parents of his relationship with Kartik. An entertaining movie compact with a perfect amount of jokes without losing the true nature and theme of the movie.
Documenting Real Lives Apart from fictional narratives, Bollywood also made movies based on real-life stories and documentaries. One such movie that left everyone amazed was “Aligarh” (2016). A film based on a real-life story depicting the tragic fate of Professor Ramchandra Siras (Manoj Bajpayee).
He was a Marathi professor and head of the classical modern languages faculty at the Aligarh Muslim University. Once a news channel barged into his house and found him sharing intimate moments. After this incident, he got suspended on the grounds of being gay.
Sisar’s life completely changed after this incident, making him hide from the world. But a journalist named Deepu Sebastian (Rajkumar Rao) got to know about his tragic story and decided to help him.
Another beautifully portrayed movie is “Evening Shadows (2018)”, story of a young man Kartik who came out as gay to his mother Vasudha, which turns out to be a shocking event. This incident turned his mother’s world upside down.
She did not know how to digest the truth, spiking her doubts about her son’s identity. The biggest challenge that she had to deal with was to tell her husband about their son’s sexuality and the conservative society around her. Evening Shadows showcased the emotional bond between a mother and her son, sharing emotional strength to face the harsh realities of life.
Do you know?
Two-thirds (64%) of LGBTQ+ people had experienced anti-LGBT+ violence or abuse.
Challenges and Opportunities Apart from such thought-provoking movies that push society to converse about such an important topic, Bollywood still has a long way to go in terms of representing the LGBTQ+ community. Critics have a view that there should be greater diversity in the content showcased on the big screen.
Despite movies like “Aligarh” and “Shubh Mangal Jyada Savdhaan” demonstrating a violation of existing societal norms that leads to sparking influential conversations. There is still a need for more authenticity and variation in queer film characters.
Moreover, Indian cinema needs to add intersectionality to its narratives to add more layers to the content. Intersectionality addresses problems faced by individuals based on race, gender, religion, and socioeconomic status, in addition to their sexual identity. This will provide Bollywood an opportunity to amplify the voices of marginalized groups, creating rich content that resonates with audiences.
LGBTQ+ Advocacy in Bollywood The emergence of LGBTQ+ subjects in Bollywood goes beyond on-screen. Many actors, directors, and industry experts advocate for LGBTQ+ rights by using their personal social media accounts.
In addition, they also give interviews and run social media campaigns and public appearances to challenge stereotypes, raise awareness, and promote the rights of the community for acceptance within the industry and beyond.
These celebrities leverage their fame to influence people to drive meaningful change and pave the way for more inclusivity.
Conclusion Bollywood representation of the LGBTQ+ community brings a paradigm shift towards acceptance and visibility for marginalized communities. With forward-thinking films, Indian cinema tries to break the taboo around homosexuality to spark important conversations about love, identity, and equality.
While the movie industry still has a long way to go because of certain challenges, it can still bring out major change by utilizing opportunities. Plus, filmmakers need to add authenticity and inclusivity in their narratives to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community’s voice is heard on screen.
