Here’s a look at what Bollywood threw up in terms of LGBT on-screen representation the past year. Yes, there were the usual homophobic gay “jokes” (Golmaal 3, Housefull; thanks for starting the trend Mr. Johar) and some regressive portrayals (Anjaana Anjaani), but let’s not give them more airing. On the other hand, the breadth and nuance of LGBT characters in other films was surprising over a single year, given the rarity of affirming, well-developed LGBT content in Indian cinema. I’m sure I may have missed some, so feel free to add others!
[Possible spoilers ahead]
Sandhya Mridhul in “Hum Tum Aur Ghost”
I’m surprised that not much has been said about this character, because it may be hands-down one of the best portrayals of a lesbian in a Bollywood film. Sandhya Mridhul plays Mini, the lead protagonist Armaan’s (Arshad Warsi) best friend. She is accepted as a lesbian and there is no hoo-ha around it—it’s not played for laughs or cheap thrills or to create sexual tension. It’s just who she is. Armaan and Mini are very close (the character has a substantial supporting role), and they even go check out girls together! When Dia Mirza’s character (Armaan’s romantic interest) becomes jealous of their friendship, Mini comes out to her and tells her there’s nothing to worry about because she’s gay.
Omar Khan, Prashant Chawla (and some extras) in “Jhootha Hi Sahi”
A romantic comedy where the “gang” includes not one, but two out gay men, both of whom are accepted and loved by the group and neither is a stereotype (though one comes somewhat close)! Kudos to Abbas and Pakhi Tyrewalla for their inclusive script, and well rounded gay characters with a whole lot more to them than just being “the gay guys”. Amit grew up knowing he is gay and ran away from home to avoid marital pressures. He was welcomed into the John Abraham character’s group, and loved and accepted by everyone for who he is-and as the adorable weird guy who makes gross-out statements. He has a crush on the group’s “hottie” Uday, who is also openly gay and owns a gay club. Uday is a player and parties a lot, but this isn’t reduced to “gay promiscuity” and rather he is portrayed the way a straight guy with lots of girlfriends would—studly and enviable (this is probably a breakthrough representation of gay sexuality in Bollywood). He brings his “Boyfriend of the Week” to the group’s regular dinners, and will only settle with the guy his best gal pal approves of.
Vinay Apte (and extra) in “Rajneeti”
Vinay Apte plays a babu-style politician who ends up being blackmailed because he is gay. The film shows him receiving a massage from his hunky boyfriend, and then later lying in bed with him. The character and his lover meet a grisly fate in the film, but so does almost everyone else. What was significant here was that neither of the gay men was depicted stereotypically, audience sympathies were made to align with Apte’s character, and that these were brash men in India’s rural heartland. That gay characters entered the frame at all in this setting is worth taking note of.
Aman Varma and Murli Sharma in “Tees Maar Khan”
This was a terrible, offensive film on many counts but was a mixed bag in terms of LGBT representation. Aman Varma and Murli Sharma play cops that are hunting down Khan (Akshay Kumar). The two seem to be stock comedy police officer characters; except that later in the film it is revealed that the two are gay. Towards the end, the two men exchange rings- a suggestion at marriage or long term commitment. This is good representation in a Bollywood genre that has made it the norm to caricature gay people and make them the butt of jokes. Unfortunately, this film did indulge in some homophobic pandering and “jokes”, including some involving a trio of exaggeratedly effeminate men who do Katrina Kaif’s make-up (of course they do!) and who she calls “ladies”.
Kapil Sharma and Yuvraaj Parashar in “Dunno Y…Na Jaane Kyu”
I won’t say much about how Bollywood’s Big Gay Answer to Brokeback Mountain or whatever was one of the most ridiculous and badly made films of the year, except that this film’s unintentional humor may make it a camp classic in the future. It’s kind of sad that the people behind this film had good intentions and seem to have genuinely believed that they were making a serious film. Anyway, we can heave a sigh of relief that apart from some obstacles in the way of the release and protesting outside the actor’s home and some obscure threats to the filmmakers, no cinemas were attacked and nobody rioted in the streets. We’ve come a long way since 1996. The film does feature the male protagonists in a relationship, and kissing and having sex- which gives it the paradoxical, only-possible-in-Bollywood, distinction of being both the silliest and the most ground breaking gay film of the year.
Great post.
And that’s exactly how I felt about TMK, too. In the end, I think, Farah Khan/script writers can be called ignorant, rather than homophobic.
When did I Can’t Even Think Straight come out? 2009? I liked that movie.
Nicely written. I am curious though, what were “those” jokes in TMK? ( I haven’t seen the movie).
Any of these movies worth watching? I’ve watched Rajneeti, disliked it.
The Sandhya Mridul one and Jhootha hi Sahi sound promising but have terrible reviews.
Wheee! This was fun to read and an excellent roundup !
Thanks Adam 😀
Wow I had no idea any of these existed! Awesome 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwuTo9H6ZFU&feature=related
Tamil movie Goa has this track of a gay couple and a gay song too.
Copied from http://primadonnaz.blogspot.com/2010/02/tamil-movies-have-arrived-goa-gay.html
tamil movies have arrived – GOA – gay relationship
no this is not the review of a tamil movie. instead i just wanted to jot my views on this movie titled goa (for the proper review please refer to the links below this article).
gay relationships or being gay is considered a taboo in tamil movies. well no movie has dared to touch on this. the closest i could remember of such portrayal was some “rather intimate scenes” during the song sequence mustafa mustafa in the movie kaadhal desham. but then the two actors in that scene played good friends and they were after the same girl. so there were no issues of them being gay and it was just that they were real guys having fun. lagipun maybe at the time of the movie’s release back in 1997, homosexuality was not as well acknowledged as now.
other than that, tamil movies have always shown mak nyah in bad light, making fun of them and using them to create laughters in a poor and sickly manner. perhaps an exception to this was thenavattu where the akak akak were portrayed positively.
putting that aside, in goa, there is a gay couple jack and danny. (refer to the pic above, danny or the receiver or bottom is in white sleeveless shirt while jack who is the giver or top is in the sleeveless black shirt). watching them on screen for the first time came as a shock to me that how director venkat prabhu was daring to touch on this sensitive issue although it was only a sub plot. jack’s facial expressions and the dialogues were indeed a shocker especially the scene where jack poyurs out his frustration over danny to his friends and the dialogues that follow.
but watching the movie twice, i could feel an intimate scene featuring the lovers was butchered by our sensors and i was wondering what it could be. in my mind, i had various imaginations. so finally there i was watching the movie’s pirated dvd. i had expected the dvd not to include the scene as well like in the cinema although deep down my heart i wanted to see it ( in fact i was hoping to buy the vcd in singapore as i thought the censors there would be more lenient). oh boy was i shocked when the dvd actually had the scene. it is about jack who confronts danny and accuses him of cheating with another guy and the dialogues were superb (like what you have heard in other movies except in this one it is about a gay relationship). danny then explains the truth and jack then realises that he had wrongly doubted danny’s sincerity. jack then walks to danny and hugs him romantically and so caringly and lovingly. and in the scene jack was naked although they only showed his upper body but you can sense that he was nude. oh my i just simply cannot imagine for the life of me how would the audience react if the scene was shown over the local cinemas. how would the youths have felt, what would the uncles and aunties have done. would people be closing their eyes or looking on the floor or feeling disgusted or disturbed. or would they just be cool.
and finally on the two actors, let us touch on danny or his real name sampath. if only i have a chance to meet him, i would love to ask why did he accepted the role. you see sampath is a well known villain in many tamil movies. he is known for being the bad guy and thus playing the soft gay is truly a transformation. but sampath has proved that he is a born actor through his superb performance and daringness to accept the role. i guess it was also a brilliant move by the director to choose a tough guy like sampath to play the soft lover.
and now jack or aarvind akash. what a delicious six pack body. i wish i could find those pictures and post it in this entry. in most of the scenes aarvind appeared shirtless with a yummy six pack albs. i too am surprised on what convinced aarvind to accept the gay role. in his first movie chennai 600028 he played a hunk who was envied by his friends as he is the first among them to venture into sexual relations with a hot babe. and in his second movie aa aa ee ee, there was nothing much to say about him. all these while, i though that aarvind was over in tamil movies but in goa he just delivered a stunning performance.
for both sampath and aarvind, it must have been a tough decision accepting this role as it could well destroy their manly image. playing a hero or typical role is easy but to accept unconventional roles in a conservative tamil society surely takes guts. bravo guys …
for more details on the movie or for reviews please check out these websites:
I liked the gay scenes in the movie “Honeymoon Travels Private Ltd”.The film is about married couples discovering each other on their honeymoon and to everyone’s surprise .. there are two gay men who have also come with their wives. There are no intimate scenes …. but the scenes do turn out a bit unconventional to the usual bollywood flicks.
Great roundup…In recent times, the most watched gayness on screen other than Dostana has been the video of ‘Pappu Cant Dance Saala’.