5 Bollywood films that portrayed the LGBTQ community realistically

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Posted: 5 years ago

5 Bollywood films that portrayed the LGBTQ community realistically

Vedanshi PathakThu, Sep 6, 2018
    

Today will be a memorable day in the history of India as Section 377 of the Indian Constitution, which criminalised having intercourse with the same sex, has been repealed. The law has been decriminalised by a panel of the Supreme Court of India. And that has invoked a sense of relief and pride all across the country. We thought today it would be apt to list down some B-town films that not only left an impact in the way the LGBTQ community was portrayed, but also showed the public their real, human side, not just as characters to make fun of or humiliate in a film...

Margarita With A Straw

Kalki Koechlin's portrayal of a character with cerebral palsy, who eventually figures out her sexuality was highly appreciated. She played a lesbian,who falls in love with Sayani Gupta's character. The emotions displayed in the film, directed by Shonali Bose, were real and tangible.

Movies on LGBTQ

Fire 

This 1996 release starring Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi was way ahead of its time. Deepa Mehta wove an emotional story about two women, who find solace in each other, after being neglected by their husbands. The film faced a lot of criticism from radical groups when it released. Perhaps, it was ahead of its times.

Movies on LGBTQ

Bombay Talkies

The short story directed by Karan Johar, in the anthology Bombay Talkies, is titled Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh. It stars Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem and depicted the complications that come by hiding one's sexual preferences. Rani is left broken when she discovers that her husband, Randeep, is indulging in physical intimacy with another man.

Movies on LGBTQ

Kapoor & Sons

Probably the title of the first commercial film ever, to portray a gay character sensitively, should be given to this film directed by Shakun Batra. Fawad Khan's intense character manifested a dignity, which Hindi cinema's mocked' gay characters lacked. His battle with himself and his family to come out of the closet was presented with the perfect amount of compassion.

Movies on LGBTQ

Padmaavat

Ranveer Singh essayed the character of tyrant Alauddin Khilji with utmost perfection in the film. However, in his personal life, the ruler was said to be bisexual and the film shows a full-fledged scene as well as a song that is dedicated to the relationship he shared with slave Malik Kafur. Jim Sarbh, as Kafur, beautifully showcased a helpless lover, ready to do anything for his master.

Movies on LGBTQ

Posted: 5 years ago
Why is SLB's Khilji in the list it wasn't even properly clear what his sexuality was in the film assumptions were made just bcoz of real Khilji and Malik's relations It was actually a bad portrayal imo They infact tried to hide his sexuality maybe by thinking that it wasn't relevant in a movie abt Padmavati 
Posted: 5 years ago
Kalki wasn't a lesbian in Margarita With A Straw. She was a bisexual in the film. Even I thought it realistically portrayed the LGBTQIA community until one of my queer friends pointed out that Laila was shown to indulge in a same sex relationship only when she realizes that she will not be accepted by a 'normal' person of the opposite sex who she likes.

I'm still torn between the two readings of the film though. While on one hand, I do think Laila does get involved with Khanum as a rebound after getting heartbroken over her crush's non acceptance, on the other hand, I also feel maybe that's how the director wanted to show that she discovers that she is bisexual. 
Edited by Movie-Madaari - 5 years ago
Posted: 5 years ago
Fire - Both ladies are neglected by their respective husbands as Shabana's hubby is impotent and Nandita's hubby is in love with another woman. So these two indulge in lesbian relationship. I dont think that is how their feelings and sexual urge is. Deprived of husband love how can these two realize they are lesbians. If both their husbands made love to their wives, would they still get involved in lesbian relation? 
Kappoor & Sons was the best!
Edited by Sushi90 - 5 years ago
Posted: 5 years ago
My brother Nikhil should be there instead of Padmavat.
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