a thread of lgbtq+ bollywood films because every time i see one of these threads, i never see us on there :/ hoping this will make the gay desi community feel seen + introduce non desis to new cinema!
badhaai do (2022) dir. harshavardhan kulkarni
*** (no copaganda, dw. also my personal fave, ends very happily)
a gay cop and a lesbian teacher enter a sham marriage to pacify their families, while maintaining their own relationships with their real partners.
fire (1996) dir. deepa mehta
***
in an arranged marriage to an amateur religious teacher who seeks enlightenment through celibacy, radha’s life takes a turn when her beautiful sister in law seeks to free herself from the confines of her own loveless marriage
what i really appreciated about this movie is while i LOVE elkdtal and badhaai do, it’s really important to show older lesbian women too… this proves that it’s not ‘just a phase’ or some ‘corruption of the west’ or whatever other excuse ppl want to apply
margarita with a straw (2014) dir shonali bose
*** for self acceptance
a rebellious young musician with cerebral palsy leaves india to study in new york. on her journey of self discovery, she unexpectedly falls in love with a blind activist
ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga (2019) dir. shelly chopra dhar
***
sweety has to contend with her over enthusiastic family that wants to get her married but the ultimate truth is that her love might not find acceptance in her family and society
my brother… nikhil (2005) dir. onir
nikhil, a bright young swimmer, finds his life falling apart after getting diagnosed with HIV. in his troubled times, he finds the support of his sister, anamika, and his boyfriend, nigel
every film listed here is a huge step for india here, hence i added ones that have been critically acclaimed and that i know of.
despite all being told with heart, they don’t all end happily. i get that’s not what everyone wants to see, so i’ll mark happy ones with a ***.
shubh mangal zyada saavdhan (2020) dir. hitesh kewalya
***
aman’s family tries to get him married to someone else, but karthik won’t step down until he can be aman’s groom
y’all realise druig doesn’t use his ability just because he likes having power right….. y’all know he does it because he loves humans and doesn’t want them to hurt each other right……
ajeeb dastaan hai yeh (2013) dir. karan johar
the first of an anthology of 4 films, compiled together in one film named bombay talkies, as a celebration of 100 years of hindi cinema.
an intern new to the city makes new friends, helping one’s truth come to light
chandigarh kare aashiqui (2021) dir. abhishek kapoor
***(lot of discrimination in this one so tread lightly. still ends happily as a romcom and a positive step forward, but i stay conflicted)
manu, a bodybuilder from chandigarh, falls in love with maanvi, a trans zumba teacher.
aligarh (2015) dir. hansal mehta
based on a true story, university teacher srinivas ramchandra siras sacked on charges of homosexuality. contacted by a friendly journalist, he helps him appeal the charge at court
not a gay love story, but it felt important to add
@pixeldilf
i feel dizzy 😵💫 but also it’s very tumblr-fanfictiony like when a character mentions they like a food once and suddenly they’re eating it in all the fanworks
@leylanocontext
yesss this is what i said! i feel like he either left when he caught onto what she was trying or he didn’t swallow the open relationship like tom did
q: what is an outfit worn by an actress in a bollywood film that instantly comes to your mind when you think of an iconic, era-defining piece of costume - something that influenced pop culture & wardrobes of women irl (this is for an article will be thankful if u can answer)
someone tell joe that good things happen when you let ppl out the cage like. will ain’t looking to harm joe anytime soon SO JOE SHOULDVE LET DELILAH GO TOO