LGBTQ+ representation on Imlie - insensitive/sensitive? (FF challenge)

Was there any LGBTQ+ representation on Imlie during the first or second generation? Everyone is welcome to vote and reply based on the entire show.

For the third generation, we have at least two points to discuss: (1) everything Jugnu and (2) Gattu teasing Annapurna, "What? You like girls? Cācū! Mujhe patā nahī thā, merī Dādī itanī modern hai. I mean, maiṃ āpako judge nahīṃ karūṅgā."

In Jugnu's first scene (September 13 episode), handing Gattu the box, we saw that Jugnu has long, blood-red fingernails. His ingratiating grin, his gracefully undulating arms and neck, his bouncing eyebrows and shoulders ... everything is non-conforming to typical Hindi TV male behaviour.

I commend the creative team for showing a gender-non-conforming character who isn't a predator and doesn't exist just for cheap jokes at the expense of minorities. Jugnu is hard-working, capable, intelligent, and a loyal friend with a lovable personality.

We were supposed to laugh at Jugnu for misunderstanding the word "class" used by Gattu, but Gattu didn't make fun of Jugnu. I liked that.

Jugnu can be subdued and dignified, for example, when they talked about Gattu losing his mother, father, and brother.

However, unless I missed something due to my limited grasp of Hindi, we don't yet know where Jugnu belongs on the spectrum of human gender identity and sexual orientation. Is he happily nonbinary, or would he express a feminine persona as make-believe or as his innate identity? Does he like men? Or, is he a heterosexual cisgender man who likes nail paint and flamboyant expression?

Should Jugnu's identity be well-defined, or is it right to cover all LGBTQ+ minorities through one character?

Jugnu is the wingman for the taller, stronger, more stylishly dressed, fairer-skinned male lead Gattu, so there's built-in bias against Jugnu having a romance, and for Jugnu living vicariously through Gattu.

When Jugnu reacted to Gattu's story of a girl disguised as a man (September 15 episode), saying that he didn't know where to meet people like himself, Gattu didn't seem to care that Jugnu is lonely. The background music went "Whoa!" as Gattu looked disgusted by the idea of the cross-dressing passenger in his car being an actual transgender or lesbian person.

Moving on to Gattu's joke at Annapurna's expense (September 18 episode), his misinterpretation of her ambiguous Hindi sentences was funny: Umra ho gayī. Laḍakiyāṃ dekhane śurū kareṃ? - (You or I) have come of age. Shall we begin to consider girls (for you or me)?

However, it's disappointing that Hindi entertainment still misrepresents sexual orientation as a dichotomy between old-fashioned and "modern." We're supposed to laugh as if Annapurna having a lesbian orientation or coming out at her age is a ridiculous impossibility. Why? Diverse sexual orientations and gender identities have always existed, in every generation. We may be blinded by reverence for grandparenthood and traditional clothes, but the person inside could be anybody.

A few days ago, an octogenarian told me about how he found out that his companion in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was gay, when homophobia drove that young man to attempt suicide. Such tragedies have surely happened all over India throughout history, and they will continue as long as grandchildren like Gattu assume that their grandparents fit the mold, and grandparents like Annapurna don't make an effort to break the stereotype.

Why did Annapurna have to draw her eyebrows together and put her hand to her face in dismay, and say "Kāha, Gattu! Kucha bhī bolata!" waving her hand dismissively, as if the existence of lesbians offends her?

In whatever year this scene is supposed to take place, should we imagine that Annapurna never catered sweets to a same-sex wedding?

At least Gattu isn't supposed to be homophobic, as he said he wouldn't judge Annapurna for liking girls.

And now, the Fan Fiction challenge part of the topic:

Let's all try to rewrite the joke scene with more creativity and progressive impact.

For example:

Gattu: "What? You like girls? Cācū! Mujhe patā nahī thā, merī Dādī lesbian yā bisexual hai. I mean, maiṃ āpako judge nahīṃ karūṅgā."

Annapurna: (chuckling) "I liked a few girls when I was young, but I have one daughter and one grandson to marry off before it will be my turn again. Now, I just need to know if my Gattu wants me to look for girls for him, or boys."

Let's find Jugnu a love interest so that he can get out of Gattu's shadow.

Bunty dressed up with a fake beard. Is there any chance that he would appreciate Jugnu's painted nails? With an out-and-proud friend like Jugnu, Bunty might find the courage to stand up to his mother who wouldn't let him give shelter to Imlie^3 and Ashu.

Give this post a Like if you think Jugnu + Bunty could improve this show's LGBTQ+ representation. Or, which character should be paired with Jugnu?

Jugnu's wedding costume looks like an apron!

He needs dress-up lessons from Bunty or Shankar.

Did Ashu not need a lullaby last night while Imlie^3 was unable to walk to him on her burned feet? He should have been even more alert than when she ran to him on the wedding night after he had just had an operation.

From the way Ashu was rolling over without any discomfort, I guess the operation theatres of Purava'iyā must be like contactless car washes.

Who is taking care of Ashu while Titu, Pallo, and Bulbul play dress-up? Are Bunty and Shankar his parents now?

On the night when Gattu fought those two men who asked Ashu to come with them, what did those men want with Ashu? Are they recruiting child soldiers or what?

Gattu said "I'm going to kill you!" to Chintamani. Suppose that's foreshadowing that Chintamani will be murdered and Gattu will be the prime suspect. Then Jugnu should lead the effort to exonerate his friend, even playing defense lawyer if necessary.

Come on, Imalī creatives! Show us a queer character who is an assertive professional!

As he solves the mystery, Jugnu could grow closer to someone with a gift for disguise and manipulation to extract confessions.

When Imlie^3 suggested asking a man why he disgraced his parents, his family name etc., it was an opportunity to acknowledge that Jugnu is different from what society expects a man to be.

If not to his face, at least behind his back, gossips must be saying that he has made a joker of himself ... he should have thought about his parents before he decided to try being queer ... who will marry such a man's sisters?

Of course, Jugnu wasn't in the scene. Gattu had told him to take the children away from the abortion talk. It's nice that Jugnu is trusted with children.

Instead of detailing Jugnu's life experience, the creative team gave us a product placement scene for Jugnu!

The way Amrit manhandles Jugnu is reminiscent of the way Gattu manhandles Imlie^3.

Are both couples headed for romance?

Is Dolly dead or alive? Jugnu treated her like his family, but now that the masked caterer is dead, the Chaudharys haven't said a word about his victims, have they?

Jugnu hasn't mentioned his cousin Chandu either. Did he survive the multiple attempts on his life?

Every time someone is bedridden in the same house where the killer is prowling, the Chaudharys insist that Jugnu has to leave the bedside. Jugnu protests that he doesn't want to leave the helpless person alone, but the Chaudharys don't prove themselves trustworthy to keep watch in his place. No, they accompany Jugnu out of the room, saying something to instigate the eavesdropping killer to finish the job.

Some continuity of Jugnu's relationships would be better than Gattu's manhandling Imlie^3, breathing in her face to exaggerate his importance to her, and constant whining about Imlie^3 to everybody, even to Vishwa who would just enjoy his pain. If Gattu knew the first thing about finding a chance to turn the tables, he would watch Imlie^3's movements unseen, not report them to Vishwa!

Since Gattu is incompetent, Jugnu should be the one to win back the house. Gattu can't even recognize Imlie^3 through her fortune-teller disguise! And if Imlie^3 doesn't have to worry about Vishwa overhearing her fortune-telling hints through the spy watch, why doesn't she just spell it out for slow-to-catch-on Gattu?

Is the director trying to convey sexual tension between Gattu and Vishwa?

The way these two characters promise to break each other, and stare into each other's eyes, and the shot lingers on their eyelock, it's just like a couple.

I stopped watching long ago. Was Jugnu's gender/sexual identity ever developed? Or, is he supposed to represent all LGBTQ+ people ambiguously?