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of India as Section 377 of the Indian Constitution, which criminalised having intercourse with the same sex, has been repealed.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.