From 'Badhaai Do' to 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan': When mainstream Bollywood explored LGBTQ relationships
Here are five mainstream Bollywood films based on the backdrop of LGBTQ love stories.
The Hindi film industry has evolved a lot in the last few years and doesn't shy away from making films on daring topics challenging the box office. One of such topics that have been explored well recently in Bollywood has been the portrayal of LGBTQ characters and their relationships bringing the topic to national attention. As 'Badhaai Do', centered around the same subject is scheduled for theatrical release in February 2022, we take a look at five such mainstream movies with the backdrop of LGBTQ romances.
(All Images: File photos)
The Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Pednekar starring film has created the right amount of buzz since its trailer was released recently. As seen in the trailer, Bhumi Pednekar plays a lesbian girl and Rajkummar Rao portrays a gay character but the two decide to marry each other to hide their true selves from their families. The film releases on February 11, 2022.
Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, this 2021 romantic drama features Ayushmann Khurrana as an aspiring bodybuilder Manu Munjal who falls in love with Vaani Kapoor, an independent Zumba trainer Maanvi Brar in leading roles. The twist in their love story arises when Maanvi is revealed to be a trans-woman. Vaani's performance was highly appreciated in the film.
The coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama featured Sonam Kapoor as a closeted lesbian girl in the film. Anil Kapoor, Sonam's real father portrayed her reel-father too in 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga'. The movie also starred Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla in pivotal roles.
After portraying the leading man dealing with erectile dysfunction in the 2017 film 'Shubh Mangal Saavdhan', Ayushmann Khurrana played a gay character in its 2020 sequel 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' who falls in love with Jitendra Kumar's homosexual character and attempts to convince his entire family about their relationship.
The Shakun Batra directorial is a dysfunctional family drama in which Fawad Khan played a homosexual character. Sidharth Malhotra, Rajat Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, and Rishi Kapoor make up the entire Kapoor family whereas Alia Bhatt plays the leading lady in the highly successful film. Fawad Khan's role was reportedly rejected by five major stars - Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Shahid Kapoor - who refused to play a gay character in a mainstream film.