‘Love is love’– It’s June fellas, the International Pride Month! Today, we are here with one super special article.
On this International pride month 2021, let’s look at some well-known LGBTQIA characters in Bollywood movies & shows.
10 LGBTQIA Characters In Bollywood Movies & Web Series
1. Ayushmann Khurrana as Kartik Singh- Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
“Main khullam khulla aaj yeh izhar karta hoon… main aadmi hoon aadmi se pyaar karta hoon”– remember this dialogue of Ayushmann Khurrana in the song ‘Pyaar bina chain kaha re’ from his movie ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’? The actor portrayed an unapologetic gay man Kartik Singh in this 2020’s rom-com.
The movie showcases the story of a Gay couple Kartik (Ayushmann Khurrana) and Aman (Jitendra Kumar) face a long and difficult road to happiness as they battle opposition from Aman’s family. However, Kartik isn’t prepared to step back until he marries Aman.
2. Konkona Sen Sharma as Bharti Mandal- Ajeeb Daastaans
The winner of two National Awards– Konkona Sen Sharma got rave reviews for her spectacular performance as a lesbian woman Bharti Mandal in ‘Geeli Pucchi’, one of the short films from the Netflix anthology ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’.
Neeraj Ghaywan’s Geeli Pucchi portrays the complex encounter between Bharti (Konkona), a Dalit worker, and Priya (Aditi Rao Hydari), a Brahmin data operator at her factory. ‘Geeli Pucchi’ explores their relationship as they navigate patriarchy, ingrained prejudice, and loneliness.
3. Kubra Sait as Kukkoo- Sacred Games
Aah… how can we not add Kubbra Sait’s character Kukkoo, a transgender bar dancer, from the popular Netflix series ‘Sacred Games’? She is fierce, bold, confident, and alluring.
Starting off as a gangster’s moll, Kukoo is a transgender who falls in love with the criminal Ganesh Gaitonde (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) in Netflix India’s first original series Scared Games.
4. Arjun Mathur as Karan Mehra- Made In Heaven
The talented handsome hunk Arjun Mathur played a gay wedding planner in this Amazon Original series. His character tries to sneak his hook-ups home without being caught by his watchful landlord.
5. Kalki Koechlin as Laila- Margarita With A Straw
Kalki Koechlin has garnered immense praise for her portrayal of Laila Kapoor, a lesbian teenager in this Shonali Bose directorial. It’s about a girl with cerebral palsy, who explores her sexuality and comes to terms with it. She falls in love easily and there is an awkwardness about her since she doesn’t know what sex is and how to interact with the one, she admires.
‘Margarita With A Straw’ tells the story of a rebellious young woman with cerebral palsy who leaves India to study in New York. On her journey of self-discovery, she unexpectedly falls in love.
6. Fawad Khan as Rahul Kapoor- Kapoor & Sons
Shakun Batra’s ‘Kapoor & Sons’ portrayed the aftermath of coming out as a homosexual to his/her family in the most sensitive & natural way possible. Many mainstream actors have reportedly rejected the role of Rahul Kapoor due to the gay protagonist before Fawad Khan took the challenge.
“Main thak gaya hoon aapka perfect beta banke”– After constantly living under the pressure of the ‘perfect’ elder child of a dysfunctional family and the pretence of being a ‘straight’ guy, Fawad Khan did justice to the role of Rahul Kapoor.
7. Zareen Khan as Mansi Dubey- Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele
Zareen Khan was seen playing a lesbian character, Mansi Dubey, in her last released movie ‘Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele’, which she portrayed with the utmost empathy, emotion, and honesty.
The movie tells the story of a gay man and lesbian woman embracing love, life, and friendship.
8. Anshuman Jha as Veer- Hum Bhai Akele Tum Bhi Akele
Yes, Anshuman Jha played the gay protagonist, Veer, in the Zareen Khan starrer. While the movie deals with the characters beyond gender binaries, Anshuman perfectly portrayed the queer community in the most relatable way.
9. Sonam Kapoor as Sweety Chaudhary- Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
Set in a small town in Punjab, ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ is a quintessential love story mixed with songs, dances, and family drama but with a twist. The female lead Sweety (Sonam Kapoor Ahuja) confesses that the real ‘siyappa’ is she is in love with a girl, not with Rajkummar Rao’s character.
Sonam’s character as a confined lesbian, seeking acceptance from her family, was a significant moment for LGBT+ characters in a mainstream Bollywood movie.
10. Shaban Azmi as Radha- Fire
‘Fire’, starring Shabana Azmi, was way ahead of its time- a movie that is based on a same-sex relationship. Shabana not only took the bold step of doing a lesbian kiss on-screen but also relatably portrayed the role of Radha, a submissive woman who is dominated and ignored by her husband.
The story revolves around Sita (Das) and Radha (Azmi) whose husbands choose celibacy or mistresses over their wives. This leads them to form an intimate, passionate relationship amidst a close-minded society.