From Shakun Batra's 'Kapoor and Sons' to Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Khufiya', films that dealt with same-sex relationships

Legalizing same-sex marriages in India may have to wait a little longer. The verdict by the Supreme Court has drawn mixed or rather disappointing responses and reactions, but Hindi cinema’s depiction of queer romances and rendezvouses have become far more sure-footed and subdued. Here are some examples:

Fire

Deepa Mehta’s film is much more than just about a homosexual relationship. It tackles the theme of loneliness and longing, solace and sexual intimacy. Two lonely women are attracted to each other’s plight. The physical intimacy is only at the surface, beyond the bodily pleasure resides an emotional depth only pure souls can experience and understand truly. But the audiences were furious at the kiss between Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das, and so were the supposed gatekeepers of the nation.

Kapoor and Sons

Shaun Batra is arguably one of the best things to have happened to Dharma Productions. Dostana mocked same-sex relationships, Kapoor and Sons respected it. Fawad Khan’s closeted romance is treated as a terrific cliffhanger that only adds more depth to this beautifully layered portrait of a dysfunctional family.

Badhaai Do

Why so serious? Have some fun. Badhaai Do has a ball from start to finish where two queer people find it tough to win the love of their lives. And Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar shone in their respective roles, and so did the entire ensemble.

Khufiya

Tabu can’t do no wrong, at least with Vishal Bhardwaj. Here, she plays an officer on duty who has a life of her own: and who doesn’t? She loses the love of her life and is driven by rage and vengeance. There’s no fuss about her being a queer. The incredibly gifted filmmaker never makes fuss about the complexities of his narratives, and that’s what makes him so special.

My Brother Nikhil

Director Onir’s was a sensitive and sensational take on a swimmer’s life that hits rock bottom after he’s diagnosed with HIV. He has a boyfriend who stands by him like a rock, and the film also manages to stand the test of time purely for its remarkable quality.

Fame Game

We are exploring homosexuality on OTT too. Here, in the series that’s streaming on Netflix, Madhuri Dixit’s son is a queer and he comes to terms with his reality only when confronted about it by his mother. He feels nothing when he visits a brothel and gets sexually involved with a sex worker, he’s agonized and furious. The rage only dies down when he meets the boy he loves, and when they make love. Love wins over all, it seems.

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