The social stigma around the LGBTQ community was prevalent in the society for a long time. The feeling of same sex preference has been labeled as a disorder or a disease and with the time and proper understanding, people and societies started to see it from a new perspective. Even the Governments and courts are quite compassionate and began recognizing the rights of LGBTQ community.
When it comes to the representation of the LGBTQ community in films, only a handful of movies are available. Often stereotyped in mainstream movies, the characters hardly get a chance for actual representation. But times have changed and more and more creators have come up with characters that represented the LGBTQ community. While films, in general, add a broad perspective, watching these movies will definitely pave the way towards appreciation for all communities irrespective of their sexual orientations and preferences.
Here are the 10 movies that presented the LGBTQ+ community in a realistic mode on the screen:
Starring Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao in the lead roles, Aligarh was based on a true story. Bajpayee played the role of Ramchandra Siras, an author and professor at Aligarh Muslim University. The 2015 movie was directed by Hansal Mehta (creator of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story). Unfortunately, Aligarh fared badly at the box office though the movie received a standing ovation at the Busan International Film Festival. It was also featured as the opening movie at the 17th Jio MAMI Film Festival.
Streaming Platform – Amazon Prime Video
2. Loev
Loev, the romantic drama of 2015 could not be released in theatres. The movie eventually got streamed on the OTT platform. The movie deals with the story of two friends, played by Dhruv Ganesh and Shiv Pandit, as they set out on a trip and to explore their relationship. It was Dhruv Ganesh’s last movie, as he succumbed to tuberculosis before the release. Loev deliberately spelled wrong, is a perfect and sweet representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
3. Bombay Talkies
The 2013 anthology movie, Bombay Talkies, was released as a movie celebrating both the 100th year of Indian Cinema and the entry of the modern era in Bollywood. The short stories were directed by the accomplished directors in Bollywood and also starred some of the great performers. Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh the opening short story was directed by Karan Johar. Starring Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem, the movie represented the gay relationship. Bombay Talkies premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
4. Margarita With A Straw
The 2014 Shonali Bose directorial, Margarita With A Straw, was a coming of age film, with natural complexities. Kalki Koechlin played the role of an Indian teen with cerebral palsy, as she explores the idea of love and relationship. Koechlin won the National Award for her performance in the movie. The movie treated the lesbian relationship with utmost love and concern. Sayani Gupta and Revathi also played the leading roles. This is one of the must-watch Indian movies and is available for streaming on OTT platform.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
5. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
One of the biggest commercial releases during the 2020 pandemic was Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan. Ayushmann Khurrana with all his quirkiness, played the role of a gay man, fighting to be accepted by his boyfriend’s family. The family drama is a hilarious yet sentimental take on LGBTQ+ relationships. The movie also featured Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta, and Jitendra Kumar in prominent roles.
Streaming Platform – Amazon Prime Video
6. Super Deluxe
Vijay Sethupathi’s portrayal of a transgender woman Shilpa was a treat to watch which eventually made Super Deluxe as one of the best movies to watch. There was complexity and artistry in the character and Sethupathi excelled in the performance. His sterling performance was also listed in Film Companion’s 100 greatest performances of the decade. Super Deluxe was screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival and Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. The 2019 Tamil language movie also starred Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Akkineni, and Ramya Krishnan in other prominent characters.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
7. Angry Indian Goddesses
Written and directed by Pan Nalin, Angry Indian Goddesses was not only a representation role for the LGBTQ+ community but so much more. The movie dealt with the concepts of feminism. The movie was screened at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The movie starred Sandhya Mridul, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Sarah-Jane Dias, Anushka Manchanda, Amrit Maghera, and Rajshri Deshpande.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
8. Evening Shadows
Due to its subject, Evening Shadows had a limited theatrical release. The movie tasted great success at the International Film Festivals as it won 24 International Awards. The 2018 movie, presented the story of a conservative family as they struggled to come to terms when their son who turns out to be a gay.
Streaming Platform – Netflix
9. Kapoor and Sons
Karan Johar’s family drama Kapoor and Sons was the honest portrayal of a dysfunctional family. The movie encompasses through multiple themes. Fawad Khan played the role of a gay man who was an accomplished ideal son, loved by the parents, yet hiding his sexuality for the fear of being outcasted. A character every LGBTQ+ person would be able to relate to.
Streaming Platforms – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
10. I Am
A 2010 anthology movie of 4 short stories, was based on real lives, with each short story interconnected with another. The movie was financed through crowd funding to bear the production cost. The short story Omar dealt with a gay relationship played by Rahul Bose as Jai Gowda and Arjun Mathur as Omar. The story is based on the outdated Section 377 when it was still legal.
Streaming Platforms – Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video
(By special arrangement with Yo!Vizag)
