Recently, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar came up with his movie ‘Laxmii’. The actor played the character of a transgender in this film. This horror-comedy genre film is written and directed by Raghava Lawrence, and it is a remake of Lawrence's own 2011 Tamil movie ‘Kanchana’.
After its release, the movie received mixed reviews about its content. Some people had an issue with the name of the movie, and some had issues with the depiction of a transgender as a frantic spirit. And once again, the primary theme of the movie went unrecognized under the controversies. However, it is not the only movie after Ayushman Khurana's ‘Shubh Mangal Jyada Savdhan’ which has created a buzz in India with a topic related to LGBTQ.
There are some exceptional and remarkable movies in Bollywood that have changed the perception of Indian audience towards the LGBTQ community, and some of the LGBTQ based Bollywood movies are given below.
1. Fire (1996)
‘Fire’ was an Indo-Candian romantic drama film made in 1996. The movie was written and directed by Deepa Mehta. It was released in an era when homosexuality was completely neglected and hated by the Indian society. And this became the first Indian film to extraordinarily portray a lesbian relationship.
The movie stars two popular actresses named Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das. The fire was way ahead of its time, and it is about two women who form an intimate bond after being mistreated by their husbands. Sadly, Fire faced a lot of criticism and protest for its topic.
2. My Brother Nikhil (2005)
My Brother Nikhil takes the audience to the time where homosexuality and AIDS were largely ignored by society. The story of this movie revolves around the life of a swimmer who is diagnosed with AIDS and gets out of his team and family because of it. He struggles with his preferences and somehow receives backing from his sister and partner Nigel.
Sanjay Suri, Purab Kohli, and Juhi Chawla delivered excellent performances in the movie. It went unnoticed when it was released, but it somehow garnered some support from the LGBTQ community. My Brother Nikhil was released in the time when awareness about homosexuality and AIDS was just jumping in the society, and the mainstream cinema was only focusing on love triangles and action-oriented stories.
3. Margarita with a Straw (2014)
This movie is probably one of the best films which simply touches several topics which are still considered as a taboo in India. Director Shonali Bose represents the story of a young bisexual girl who is fighting with a physical disability.
The actress Kalki Koechlin gives an amazing performance, and beautifully portrays a young Indian girl who falls in love with a Pakistani woman. Kalki Koechlin acts like a young girl with Cerebral Palsy syndrome in this movie. ‘Margarita with a Straw’ won multiple awards for its extraordinary storyline and remarkable performances.
4. Aligarh (2016)
The story of Aligarh revolves around a professor from Aligarh University whose sexuality gets revealed after a sting operation. The professor Ramchandra Sihas of the university confronts an ugly side of the society after his sexuality gets revealed in the movie.
The story depicts the problem of homophobia and hits the audience with it's the strong performance of actors like Manoj Bajapyee and Rajkumar Rao. Aligarh is directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Apurva Asrani. It had its world premiere at the 20th Busan International Film Festival and received a standing ovation. Yet, the film went unnoticed by most of the Indian audience.
5. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)
This evergreen song has been ruling the hearts of so many generations. But a movie created with the name ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Tho Aisa Laga’ has challenged several perceptions in Indian society. In this movie, a cast of Sonam Kapoor, Rajkumar Rao, Juhi Chawla, and Anil Kapoor come together to depict a love story of a small-town girl.
From confronting social shame for the sexual preference to coming out bravely in front of her family, the girl in this movie touches the layers of homosexuality with the sense of normalcy. Even after, the film did not get much recognition from the overall audience, it was largely celebrated by the LGBTQ community. Because Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Tho Aisa Laga changes the stereotypical conversation very elegantly and gives a progressive look at love and acceptance.
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Reference:
- www.wikipedia.com
- www.lifestyleasia.com