Health Minister Says To Protect Rights of Gays

Health Minister Says To Protect Rights of Gays: A Major Challenge for Mainstream Indian Film Industry

When Dr. Harsh Vardhan recently announced that the rights of gay persons should be protected, perhaps he should check out the Indian film industry and mass media as well. Homophobia continues to permeate within Indian society and popular mass media reflects this as well. A film reviewer from First Post remarked while reviewing yet another “original” Bollywood flick entitled “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya” that gay persons continue to be mocked and ridiculed in films such as these. The characterisations of gay men have been stereotypical and insensitive. High pitched voices and put-on fancy accents are coupled with exaggerated actions and garish colors to create gay characters that are almost caricatures rather than real people.

Sensitive LGBT stories are few and far between. Many fail to become “hits”. So stereotypical and insensitive portrayals of LGBT community score when it comes to the film industry, as money is everything for many producers and directors regardless of the true cost of releasing pictures. Gay men are also portrayed as wearing flower patterns and body hugging clothes. Fashion designer Rohit Bal has even been quoted in a Times of India article as saying “Bollywood makes gays appear feminine, idiotic and abnormal. I strongly resent it. We need to portray the true lives of gays in India”. He goes on to say” No star has the real courage to play a gay character. If they do, no one will accept them.” Whether it was Boman Irani in Dostana or Abhishek Bacchan in Bol Bacchan, the depictions of gay men did not dare to defy the Bollywood stereotype.

Some efforts have been made to create more realistic and heartfelt portrayals such as those in My Brother Nikhil or Fire. But mainstream cinema continues to create derision and scorn for the LGBT community on many counts. Negative or derogatory references to homosexuality and portrayal of LGBT protagonists in a hackneyed fashion are not the only problems. No community should be caricatured like this and made a laughing stock in the movies.


These type of mass media productions are actually doing a huge disservice to those who choose to belong to the third gender. The LGBT community in India continues to fight for its right to live with dignity and respect. But the laws barring people from freedom of gender identity and sexual preference are a huge problem. Mass media in the Western world has more mature and sensitive portrayals of the LGBT community. Consider films like Brokeback Mountain or Birdcage. Indian mass media needs to evolve to this point as well.

But for that to happen, filmmakers have to realise that members of the LGBT community also have depth and intellect. They are not brainless stereotypes. While gay men are made into laughable characters, films on lesbians are so few that they do not even make it to the mainstream. Maybe the filmmakers are too scared to break the rules. Homosexuality is still a legal crime in India. The SC is said to be hearing curative petitions on this matter. Hopefully they will heed the voices of the LGBT community too.