Mumbai, India (CU)_ If you are seeking for Indian episodes and movies that have tried to reflect the subtleties of LGBTQ tales, we have compiled a list of engaging movies that will meet your needs. These Indian series and films explore a wide range of topics, including queer rights, bigotry, and stories of self-love and acceptance.
Fire
Bollywood movie Fire which was released in 1996 had received a lot of backlash, hostility, and protest since it was one of the first prominent Bollywood films to openly discuss lesbian relationships. However, it cleared the door for LGBTQ tales to be discussed in mainstream media. It tells the narrative of two sisters-in-laws, Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi, who find solace, peace, and love in one another following their unsuccessful marriages.
Memories in March
Memories in March depicts a mother coming to know about her son’s sexuality and attempting to comprehend it through her own eyes. After the death of her son, it is his lover who aids her in embracing his son for who he was. Sanjoy Nag directed the film, which features late filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, Deepti Naval, and Raima Sen in key roles.
Aligarh
Aligarh, directed by Hansal Mehta, portrays the heartbreaking true story of Professor Ramchandra Siras (Manoj Bajpayee), who was fired from Aligarh Muslim University following a sting operation that found his sexual relationship with a male rickshaw puller. A journalist (Rajkumar Rao) empathizes with his situation, and his efforts persuade the court to hear his case.
Ajeeb Daastaans
Neeraj Ghaywan’s Geeli Pucchi, which is the third installment of this anthology film, is one of the most recent movies that portrayed about lesbian relationship between two women, Bharti and Priya. The Bollywood star Konkona Sen Sharma played the Bharti role and Aditi Rao Hydari played the Priya role. While Bharti knows well about herself and her preferences, Priya is still in the process of discovering herself, despite the fact that her actions suggest she has always been attracted to women. The story also adds another layer of caste-based prejudice to the characters’ quest to uncover their actual identities.
Made in Heaven
The main plot of the story starts with Karan and Tara starting their company, and the subplots depicts Karan’s struggles as a gay guy in a metro city and the relationships that have molded his life. However, while Karan is outspoken about his sexuality despite the dangers he endures, his landlord, who discloses his homosexuality to him after a sequence of misfortunes, is still terrified. Their challenges are a key part of the show, as they are all different but stem from the same problem of homophobia in their environment.
The Married Woman
Ekta Kapoor’s The Married Woman focuses on a love story between two women, where one is a traditional homemaker and the other is an independent woman. The story follows Astha (Ridhi Dogra), a married woman who lives the usual life of a mother and housewife. When she meets Piplika (Monica Dogra), a free-spirited lady, she begins to defy traditional rules, and the two fall in love. The Married Woman was directed by Sahir Raza and the story is based on Manju Kapur’s novel of the same name. The movie was released on Alt Balaji on International Women’s Day this year.
The ‘Other’ Love Story
Roopa Rao’s film The ‘Other’ Love Story is recognized as the country’s first televised same-sex love story. The story continues in the 1990s, when people are not familiar with mobile phones and technology, and when love is still expressed through letters and cards. The plot follows Aadya and Aachal, who meet up, fall in love, and muster the guts to accept and fight for their love in a time when same-sex relationships are prohibited.
