India
Bollywood films increasingly explore LGBTQ, intersex issues
Actress Celina Jaitly has appeared in U.N. ‘Free and Equal’ campaign
Music, dance, color, compelling stories and drama: Welcome to the world of the Indian film industry.
With the production of more than 1,500 films every year, the industry is the largest in the world. Movies like “Dangal,” a 2016 film about wresting, impacted Indian society’s views towards girls. In a country with limited awareness of Tourette’s syndrome, the 2018 film “Hichki,” which means “hiccup” in Hindi, successfully sensitized audiences.
But the Indian film industry before 2015 failed to highlight an integral part of Indian culture: The LGBTQ and intersex community.
The 1971 movie “Badnam Basti,” which means “Infamous Neighborhood” in Hindi was dubbed as India’s first gay film. The movie disappeared into oblivion soon after its release, and the 35 mm film print was only recently discovered in a Berlin archive. The Central Board of Film Certification, a film certification body under the Indian government’s control, in 1971 certified the film as A-rated, meaning for adults only. According to Hari Om Kapoor, the son of “Badnam Basti” director Prem Kapoor, the film never explicitly showed homosexuality but implied it through scenes.
When India was going through a tumultuous time in 2004, and the political landscape was changing, “Girl Friend” appeared on large screens.
Although it was not the first lesbian feature film, it portrayed a lesbian character as evil and stereotypical. The film explored a love triangle between two girls’ best friends and a man. One girl — Tanya, who played by one Bollywood’s biggest stars, Isha Koppikhar, soon realizes she is in love with her best friend, Sapna, who Amrita Arora plays. But Sapna is in love with a man, Rahul, played by Ashish Chaudhary. When Rahul realizes that Tanya is too close to Sapna, making him uncomfortable, he vindicates Tanya for the troubled relationship. The film then ends with the gruesome murder of Tanya by Rahul and Sapna, portraying Tanya and Rahul as heroes, and a lesbian character, Tanya, ends up becoming evil. This film received poor reviews from film critics.
“Indian cinema has played an important role in conditioning the mindsets of Indians of all backgrounds, and while the recent it has made great leaps in the types of cinema being attempted, most Hindi films still thrive on the offensive and stereotypical portrayal of the non-binary gender characters,” said Celina Jaitly, a former Miss India and one of the most popular Indian actresses.
Jaitly, through her performance in various big films, won millions of hearts in India and globally. Her activism in India for LGBTQ and intersex equal rights attracted the endorsement of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, which in 2013 made her an Equality Champion. Jaitly has supported the U.N. Free and Equal campaign to counter homophobia and transphobia.
“I have always wondered as an actor, why a gay or a trans person is constantly seen as outside the bounds of ‘normal.’ Ironically, despite the rampant transphobia, one particular trope is extremely popular in Bollywood, even after so many years, and that is cross-dressing men,” she told the Washington Blade. “Trans people are abnormal but cis men in drag are applauded. Every time a ‘hero’ dresses in drag it is considered to be iconic piece of performance, it’s always been difficult to wrap my head around that one. Casting trans and gay people in trans roles is still a challenge as cisgender actors consider it as a loss of opportunity to win awards, and producers/directors would rather cast cis actors who pull in an audience rather than a trans or a gay actor who pulls in the character.”
Jaitly, who have worked in the Indian film industry for more than a decade, appeared in “Seasons Greeting” last year in which a trans person is the lead actress.
Jaitly said she has fought for LGBTQ and intersex rights in India for years, and the reason for which she agreed to work in “Seasons Greeting” is that the director Ramkamal Mukherjee cast a trans woman for the first time in a trans lead film. Jaitly told the Blade that she believes in the importance of trans/gay cast in a trans/gay role, and only they can and should portray and become the beacons of reflections of the agonies and ecstasies of their journeys no matter what the script.
“Filmmakers hold supreme responsibility in being sensitive, empathetic, and rational while attempting to make films on the said theme,” said Jaitly. “And as complex, as it may seem, the underlying principles of treating people respectfully and equally is a no-brainer and requires no special education. Cinema like literature is the reflection of society and not only does it influence the society but has great impact on successive generations.”
In 2008, the star-studded romantic comedy film “Dostana,” which means “friendship” in Hindi, also attracted criticism and praise for depicting a gay couple.
Hollywood sensation Priyanka Chopra played a central role, with megastars like John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan. The film explores the world of two men living in Miami who pretend to be a gay couple so they can live with a charming girl (Chopra), and they both eventually fall in love with her. Many critics argued that the film mocked LGBTQ and intersex people and making fun of the serious subject. But some critics also said that the presence of megastars like Chopra helps make audiences feel comfortable about the issue.
The Blade reached out to Chopra for a comment, but the actress did not respond.
With the advent of cheaper mobile data in India after 2015, more people are aware of LGBTQ and intersex people, and the Indian film industry is making LGBTQ and intersex-based films more than ever.
Maanvi Gagroo, a prominent Indian actress, in an email to the Blade said that there was hardly if any, LGBTQ and intersex representation in Bollywood for the longest time. And whatever little there was, was almost always comedic. Gagroo believes comedy can be a great tool for social change.
“it was always the manner or the nature of the humor that was problematic for me. Often the jokes were at the cost of the gay/queer characters, and audiences were meant to laugh AT them rather than WITH them. These characters never had any sort of redemption, no arc and often created and/or perpetuated outlandish, garish stereotypes!” said Gagroo. “There is hope though. I see makers becoming much more sensitive towards the community. And this change is parallel in society as well. I mean we only decriminalized homosexuality a few years ago. Now whether Bollywood is mirroring society or vice versa, I can’t comment but the change is positive for sure.”
Gagroo’s first LGBTQ and intersex film was “377 AbNormal,” is based on the Indian Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that decriminalized homosexuality. The film explored the five people who challenged Section 377, a colonial-era law that criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations.
“‘377 AbNormal’ was actually very educational for me. While I pride myself as an ally, I was completely ignorant about the journey of the movement and what led to the monumental verdict of 2018. I knew I had to be a part of the film from the time I first heard the concept,” said Gagroo. “Again, that was another film where the director, Faruk Kabir, was extremely cautious of not only getting the film factually right but also portraying the entire process sensitively. We would often choke up and would have to stop shooting because all of us would get so emotional.”
“In terms of preparation, I didn’t need to work on sensitizing myself on the topic,” added Gagroo “I was there. I was ready to tell that story and I felt I had to do it well without minimizing anyone or anything related to the film.”
Although “377 AbNormal” was the first LGBTQ and intersex film for Gagroo, it was not the last.
Gagroo in 2020 appeared in “Subh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan,” a film that Hitesh Kewalya directed.
The film explores the story of a gay couple who have trouble convincing their parents to accept their relationship. The film generated a buzz at the box office. While talking about the film, Gagroo, who also starred in it alongside megastars like Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar, veteran actress Nina Gupta, and Gajraj Rao, said that the film came with empathy and a respect and that the intent of the film is clear.
“Our director, Hitesh Kewalya, was very clear right from the start, that he didn’t wish to delve into the gruesome hardships that the gay community is subjected to, but aim to normalize a lot of the conversation around it,” said Gagroo. “It dealt with so many different social issues even beyond LGBTQ. Even while shooting you could see the cast and crew evolving and their growing comfort with the topic was palpable.”
While talking with Blade, Kewalya said that things changed, and people became more aware of the issue, which led to the making of “Subh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.” He argued the Section 377’s abolition made it possible to make such films. Kewalya also noted that Indian society was already talking about the issue, so making such a film became easy.
“It was challenging because there was no precedent to it. In a commercial film like this, where a top star is headlining the film, and a top production house is backing it, and all the great actors backing it,” said Kewalya. “It was also challenging because it is a sensitive topic in our society. Even the LGBTQ community was never happy with the kind of representation that was happening in the cinema.”
According to Variety, India produces films in staggering 41 languages, mostly regional. In 2017, Lokesh Kumar released “My Son is Gay,” a Tamil language film. The story revolves around a school principal and her only son. The mother-son duo shares a strong bond, and the mother soon finds out the hard truth that her only son is gay, which leads to a drastic change in her life.
“I am glad many people supported and showered a lotta love for our little indie feature film ‘My Son is Gay.’ I have attended an LGBTQ film festival once, where I have seen many queer films across the world and also got to meet many community members. That’s when I realized there are only very few Tamil films which showcased queer characters and there are no full-length gay-themed films as such,” said Kumar. “I really felt the need to tell the stories like ‘My Son is Gay.’ So, I have decided to meet LGBTQ members and their parents and did my research, wrote the story which is based on many real incidents. It wasn’t an easy journey at all, as there were very less support from people around me considering the theme of the film. Many actors and technicians were hesitant to involve. There weren’t many producers who wanted to back this project. However, producer Anil Saxena, an Indian citizen who lives abroad, Cyril D’souza and actor Anupama Kumar understood the importance of this story and they backed me. Finding the right cast and making the cast, crew understands the importance of such stories and making them confident and comfortable to play the characters was really a challenge. Am glad I didn’t give up.”
While LGBTQ and intersex films are doing well in India and globally, in 2022, another film, Junglee Pictures’ “Badhaai Do,” generated a buzz among the masses. Star-studded films with casts like Rajkummar Rao, actress Bhumi Pednekar, Sheeba Chaddha and Chuma Darang helped the film highlight the LGBTQ and intersex issues in India. The film tells the story of a gay cop who enters into a sham marriage with a lesbian teacher to convince their family that they are living a normal life.
“The films that came before us had already placed the LGBTQIA+ issues and concerns in the mainstream space. Not having the burden of explaining an ‘issue’ was liberating for us as we could focus on aspects of representation while negotiating with our own heteronormative conditioning without worrying about having articulate and politically correct sounding characters,” said “Badhaai Do” director Harshavardhan Kulkarni. “It helped us locate the film in familiar realities of caste, class, and patriarchal family units. I feel that too often, we tend to gloss over the fact that sexuality is only one aspect of our being, and it exists within the many other aspects which govern daily life in large parts of our country. I feel that we need to do more to understand and educate ourselves about this. Until we do that, our understanding of the real-world problems faced by the LGBTQIA+ community will remain limited.”
In recent years, the Indian film industry has released some critical films that show real-world issues of the Indian LGBTQ and intersex community. Films like “Badhaai Do,” “Subh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan” and many more have not only created an impact on Indian society but also started the discussion.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu, an Indian film star who won millions of hearts across India and numerous awards for her contribution to Indian cinema, told the Blade that Indian movies and the film industry are constantly evolving.
“I do believe we have a long way to go before mainstream films refrain from crudity, insensitive humor and homophobia completely,” said Prabhu. “I am extremely proud of having been a part of a path breaking and ambitious film like ‘Super Deluxe.’ The film tied many intricate stories to an overarching philosophy, so I wouldn’t say it was only about a transgender person. The characters portrayed by me and Mr. Vijay Sethupathy (an actor who appeared in ‘Super Deluxe’ with Prabhu) were similar in that they both exhibited their own brand of bravery.”
Prabhu has joined the cast for her next LGBTQ and intersex film, Arrangements of Love. Wales-based BAFTA-winning director Philip John is also joining the team as director. The film will revolve around an Indian man in Wales who visits his homeland to find his estranged father. Prabhu will be playing a bisexual detective who becomes part of the search.
“The industry is evolving-slowly but surely. There was a time when people were forced to tuck away a very real part of themselves in the way they told their stories, in a bid to conform. That thankfully has changed,” said Prabhu. “Directors and scriptwriters are being more real, and the audience is here and ready for it!”
Ankush Kumar (Mohit) is a freelance reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.
Amid heatwaves in the Indian capital of New Delhi, the world’s biggest election is raising the temperature even higher.
The temperature in the Indian capital on the morning of April 18 reached 107 degrees, and the sun blazed like a furnace. In the political corridors, however, the sweat wasn’t just from the heat, but from the fervent preparation for and in anticipation of the election results.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, the current ruling party, aggressively prepared for the 2024 general election months ago but the other regional and national parties still seem to be preparing while the election has started in the country.
The Washington Blade traveled to New Delhi and witnessed the political party’s campaign and preparations.
Home Minister Amit Shah, representing the BJP, was aggressively campaigning in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in Gujarat state. BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda was campaigning in Assam state.
The Blade interviewed Barkha Trehan, a political activist in New Delhi. She said that while various political parties in India address transgender and women’s issues in their campaign rhetoric, the Indian National Congress fails to translate its promises into action at the grassroots level.
“Political parties, especially the Congress party in the country, have talked and written enough in their election manifesto, but in last many years they have done nothing,” Barkha told the Blade. “In the last 10 years, we have seen that whatever Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says or has written in their election manifesto, we have seen that work done on the ground level. Let’s say it is a women’s issue or transgender community issue, or any other issues like infrastructure issues, everything is visible.”
Barkha said that discussing an issue and taking tangible action on it are distinct endeavors.
She emphasized the BJP’s efforts at the grassroots level, whether concerning trans issues or other matters, deserve recognition. The BJP, according to her, has undertaken numerous initiatives for the trans community that skill development programs and providing loans for startups.
“BJP wants to work for all without any discrimination,” Barkha told the Blade. “They want to create a good image of our country in the world, but the Congress party always pulls down the fame. They always go abroad and discredit the country by talking negative all the time. They think this is the only way to win election in India, but this won’t work out for them.”
Talking about trans issues, Barkha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met people from the trans community. She told the Blade that he is trying to motivate the trans community to take advantage of employment opportunities.
“Before Modi, nobody used to look at the transgender community,” said Barkha. “No one used to talk about them. When the prime minister’s video went viral on the internet and television while he had a conversation with the transgender community, other people started and felt inspired to work for the transgender community and talk to them.”
Barkha told the Blade these things send a message to the trans community that there are people who are listening and who will always stand by it.
She noted the trans community has always faced discrimination, neglect, and abuse in India. This political outreach, according to Barkha, sends a strong message that the trans community is as important as anyone else, they have the same value as any other citizens in the country, and they deserve a better life. She told the Blade trans people can make money when they can learn new skills, and they will have self-confidence and self-respect when they can earn a living.
Discrimination based on gender identity remains commonplace in India
India’s trans community has suffered discrimination for many years.
An openDemocracy report notes 80 percent of trans Indians are either engaged in sex work or begging. India in 2019 passed a law, Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, with aims to protect the rights of trans people, their welfare, and matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
The Indian government and BJP in 2022 came up with a socialist scheme for trans people. Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise is a program to support trans people who are engaged in begging. It provides them access to medical facilities, counseling, education, skill development, and economic linkages with the support of state governments and local urban bodies along with volunteer and community-based organizations.
The Congress in Telangana state was recently accused of disrespecting the trans community when Revanth Reddy, the Congress party’s sitting chief minister, sent anti-trans slurs that targeted the state’s opposition party.
The Blade reached out to the Congress party’s office in New Delhi, but it denied the interview request.
BJP’s position on LGBTQ issues questioned
The Blade while in New Delhi also visited the Aam Aadmi Party’s headquarters.
Despite the scorching sun overhead, Delhi residents sought refuge from the sweltering temperatures. The Blade, amid the election fervor and campaign hustle, interviewed Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon. She said the BJP is regressive and seeks to intrude into a person’s bedroom, dietary choices, and other aspects of their personal lives.
“If BJP comes back to power, the party will keep doing what it is doing now, not supporting LGBTQ rights,” said Menon. “I think, there is no doubt in the LGBTQ community that one cannot have BJP in power and live safely. If we want to give equal rights to every citizen of this country, then only the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance is the only chance.”
She said the Aam Aadmi Party always tries to give LGBTQ people a chance, but the party in this general election has few seats (in parliament) for which to fight because it is part of the opposition alliance.
“We always think if you want the change, the LGBTQ community must have a representation in the parliament,” said Menon. “So, we always try to make LGBTQ community in the country politically active.”
Ankush Kumar is a reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.
India
Indian political parties for the first time include LGBTQ rights in election platforms
Voters will begin to cast ballots on April 19
The world’s largest democratic exercise will begin in India on April 19 as citizens begin to cast their votes in the country’s election.
This year’s election is different because national level political parties for the first time are promising to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples as part of their election platforms.
The Indian National Congress, one of India’s oldest political parties, promised after wide consultation that it would introduce a bill that would recognize civil unions between couples who are part of the LGBTQ community. The party, which has governed India for the majority of the period since independence from the U.K. in 1947, has refrained from taking a stance on laws that include Section 377, which criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations.
Then-Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad in 2011 when the INC was in power said homosexuality is a disease. He made the controversial comment while speaking at an HIV/AIDS conference in New Delhi, the Indian capital.
“Unfortunately, this disease has come to our country too,” said Azad. “Where a man has sex with another man, which is completely unnatural and should not happen but does.”
When the Delhi High Court was hearing the Naz Foundation case, the Home Affairs Ministry opposed the striking down of Section 377 based on its belief that homosexuality cannot be morally condoned. The INC never struck down Section 377, which criminalized homosexuality, in parliament.
A 5-judge panel on the Supreme Court on Sept. 6, 2018, decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on April 4 unveiled its platform with a range of socialist commitments, including support for LGBTQ rights. Among these pledges is to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 to address community concerns and ensure legal recognition and protection for same-sex couples akin to marriage.
The platform also outlined plans to introduce a bill similar to the Special Marriage Act of 1954, which allows partners to be listed as dependents and facilitating like inheritance, alimony in the event of divorce and other issues. The party further pledged to enact a comprehensive anti-discriminatory bill that would include LGBTQ people, ensure quotas in educational institutions and implement horizontal reservations in employment.
Addressing the issue of crimes against LGBTQ people, the platform promised to treat such offenses on par with crimes against heterosexuals. The platform also calls for tackling bullying, violence and harassment of gender non-conforming and LGBTQ people in educational settings, enforcing anti-hazing policies and combating hazing based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The platform further touched issues related to transition and informed consent.
The Special Marriage Act of 1954 is a law that provides for civil unions among Indians and Indian nationals who live abroad, regardless of the religion or faith followed by either party. This law enables people from two different religious backgrounds to enter into marriage. Parliament in 2019 passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act that extended rights to trans people.
Brinda Karat, a former member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, and leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), spoke with the Washington Blade and said the current government has homophobic ideas that are not acceptable to the party.
The ruling government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving to secure more than 400 parliament seats in the upcoming election, aiming for a substantial majority.
Various polls conducted by Indian news organizations indicate a probable victory for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. In response to the BJP’s dominance, Congress and several national and regional parties have joined forces as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
This alliance comprises 26 opposition political parties. Despite its formation, however, there is no clear coalition strategy in place and only two parties have included LGBTQ-specific policies in their election platforms.
The Blade reached out to Congress’ spokesperson for comment, but has not received a response. The BJP also did not respond to a request for comment.
The party has yet to release its election platform.
Ankush Kumar is a reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.
India
New Indian immigration law excludes LGBTQ people
Government to offer fast-track citizenship to nationals from neighboring countries
The Indian government on March 11 implemented a law that allows undocumented people who entered the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and other neighboring countries before Dec. 31, 2014, to receive fast-track citizenship.
Parliament in 2019 passed the Citizenship Amendment Act, which provides citizenship to undocumented people who are minorities — mainly because they are Hindu, Jain, Sikhs, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian — who face persecution in their countries of origin. The rule that took effect this month does not include LGBTQ people.
LGBTQ Pakistanis face discrimination based on gender identity, violence, homicide, threats and hate speech, discrimination in accessing employment and access to housing. Lesbians, in particular, face challenges that include sexual harassment, violence and a greater chance of losing housing and jobs if sexual orientation is revealed.
According to the Human Rights Watch report in 2022, Afghanistan’s gender minorities have faced grave threats to their safety and lives under the Taliban regime. Even before the Taliban took over the country, former President Ashraf Ghani passed a law that criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relationships.
According to the Taliban’s statement given to the Built, a German tabloid, before the fall of Kabul, the country’s capital, in 2021, gay people would be punished in two ways, either by stoning or by standing behind a wall that will fall on them.
A 2016 Human Rights Watch from 2016 notes the killings of several LGBTQ activists and illegal arrests by police in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission in 2013 asked the government to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. The commission acknowledged police physically and sexually assault LGBTQ people, and make arbitrary arrests based on an individual’s appearance.
Although India’s CAA does not fast-track citizenship for new arrivals but sticks to the cut-off date of December 2014; there are no records of any LGBTQ Muslims coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh to India.
The Indian Home Affairs Ministry says the applicant must provide six types of documents and specify the “date of entry” in India.
“These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in an X post on March 11. “With this notification PM (Prime Minister) Shri Narendra Modi has delivered on another commitment and realized the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.”
More than 1,000 members of the LGBTQ community protested against the law in New Delhi, India’s capital, after Parliament passed it in 2019. Tejasvi Surya, an MP from Bengaluru and a member of the ruling party, said those who are protesting against the CAA, especially LGBTQ members want Pakistani Muslims to come into India.
“Let me assure all of you, you’re seriously misplaced. There is no iota of idea or freedom or recognition of LGBTQ rights in Pakistan,” said Surya. “You are proudly going about your LGBTQ rights and living a dignified existence here and fighting for a more dignified life in India because we are not Pakistan. So, if you let all the Muslims of Pakistan to come into India, then there will be no questions of LGBTQ rights in India.”
The applicant can apply for citizenship in India through an online portal with listed documents that include birth certificates, tenancy records, identity papers and any license, school, or educational certificate issued by a government authority in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The applicant needs to produce an eligibility certificate issued by a reputable community institution that confirms they belong to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian community and remains a member of it.
Rani Patel, an activist, and founder of Aarohan, a nonprofit organization that works with transgender Indians, said the LGBTQ community is always neglected.
“Every country has a set of rules and regulations,” said Patel. “We cannot encroach on other’s area. We can take care of our LGBTQ community. We cannot say that we can take your LGBTQ people. We have a huge population, and this is the government’s call.”
Guru Prasad Mohanty, an LGBTQ rights activist in Uttarakhand, told the Washington Blade that the Indian government has always excluded the LGBTQ community.
“The LGBTQ community in India has been left out in every sector and in every form, so I am not surprised that they left the community,” said Mohanty. “I would have been happy, not only me but all the members of the community, if LGBTQ community has been included in this.”
Ankush Kumar is a reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.
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