When Bollywood sings about love, it usually means boy meets girl, cue dramatic monsoon, and a dance number in Switzerland. But what happens when boy meets boy? Or girl loves girl? For the longest time, such characters and stories were either brushed aside or turned into punchlines.June is a month of vibrant celebrations and heartfelt reflections, marking Pride Month, a time to honour the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of the LGBTQIA+ community. Indian cinema, particularly Bollywood, has long been a powerful storyteller, shaping societal attitudes.So the question is, has Bollywood really evolved in the way it represents LGBTQIA+ lives? Let’s take a closer look.Looking back: Shadows of stereotypes in early BollywoodLong before Bollywood embraced rainbow-hued love stories, it played a damaging game, portraying queer characters as comic relief, villains, or completely sidelining them. In slapstick comedies like ‘Humshakals’ or ‘Mastizaade’, queer characters were written purely for laughs. But even beloved films like ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ featured a sequence where a house help reacts with disgust after mistakenly thinking two men are romantically involved. The message? Queerness is something to laugh at or be repulsed by.Etimes reached out to voices from the queer community to weigh in on the matter, Instagram creator Shantanu Dhope reflects,
A lot of the stereotypical portrayals in older films where queer characters were either over the top, used as comic relief, or portrayed as predatory felt deeply alienating. These depictions weren’t just inaccurate, they were damaging. They made queerness feel like something to laugh at or be afraid of. It made it really difficult for a lot of us to see ourselves with dignity or pride.
Shantanu Dhope, Content Creator
Films like ‘Dostana’ (2008) might have been the first big banner attempt at showing two men in a relationship, even if they were faking it, but the way they exaggerated their behaviour fed into every tired gay stereotype.‘Student of the Year’ (2012) included a principal who was stereotypically gay, secretly in love with the sports coach, and constantly irritated by his wife. ‘Raja Hindustani’ (1996) introduced queer characters Kammo and Gulab Singh, both somewhere were not represented with absolute honesty. And then there’s the case of Bobby Darling, one of Bollywood’s first transgender figures, who was repeatedly cast in hyper-comic roles in films like ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’ and ‘Kya Kool Hai Hum’. Her representation was so exaggerated that she became a punchline, contributing to harmful ideas about trans women in Indian pop culture.
The shift begins: Sensitive stories take centre stage
Thankfully, not all was lost. Independent filmmakers and a few brave mainstream voices began changing the narrative.Director Onir’s ‘My Brother… Nikhil’ (2005) was a quiet revolution. Based on a true story, it follows Nikhil, a state-level swimmer diagnosed with HIV in 1990s Goa. Ostracised by family and society, except for his partner Nigel and sister Anamika—Nikhil’s journey highlighted the legal and emotional struggles faced by queer people at the time.Then came ‘Aligarh’ (2015), where Manoj Bajpayee played Professor Siras, suspended from his job after being caught in a consensual moment with another man. The film didn’t shy away from portraying his loneliness and dignity, showing the audience the human behind the label.‘Kapoor & Sons’ (2016) offered one of Bollywood’s most subtle queer narratives, with Fawad Khan playing Rahul, a closeted gay man in a dysfunctional family. His identity was revealed without fanfare, and it wasn’t used as a joke.And in ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ (2019), Sweety, played by Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, realises she’s in love with a woman, not a man. The story revolves around her traditional Punjabi family’s journey from rejection to acceptance—a scenario many Indian queer youth could identify with.
Bollywood gets bold: Queer love goes mainstream
The true test of progress came with the commercial success of ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’ (2020). For the first time, two men—Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra Kumar—played lovers in a mainstream rom-com format.Ayushmann, known for choosing offbeat roles, had explained his decision in an ETimes interview, “This was important for the film because we have to normalise it. I recently saw two boys kissing in a mall and then I realised, we are ready for it. We normally don’t see PDA between same-sex couples but that happens abroad. That will happen in India also. It’s about basic human rights. People think that it is unnatural, abnormal because they are wired like that. So, acceptance is importance.”The film’s boldness didn’t stop at casting. Ayushmann and Jitendra shared a kiss on screen, something rare even in today’s cinema. On this, Ayushmann added, “Right now we are discussing the same-sex kiss, and I think the next step will be that nobody will ask this question again when it happens in a film. Just like nobody asks a question about a heterosexual kissing scene anymore.”
He also touched on the responsibility of mainstream actors, “This is another kind of risk and I guess this is the day and age when you can take a lot of risks. You have to give something different to the audience. And for me, it’s not just about entertainment, it’s also about certain value creation, coupled with entertainment. That’s what I try to do with every film of mine, and ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’ is no different. I guess we are ready for a homosexual love story. Because it’s 2020 we have become more progressive as a society. There’s a lot of acceptance out there.” And indeed, the audience responded with warmth, laughter, and understanding.
Rajkummar Rao : Love is love
Speaking to Bombay Times, Rajkummar had shared, “I am glad that there are more and more films being made on the LGBTQIA+ community, because we need more voices and more awareness.”
Reflecting on Pride Month back in 2022, the actor said,
I think every day should be a Pride Day and everyone should have the freedom to live their life the way they want to live. We all should be there to support each other and be proud of each other’s choices. Love is love. Just be who you are.
Rajkummar Rao, Actor
The gaps that still remain
While gay and lesbian narratives are finally finding their place, other identities remain largely invisible. Stories of trans people, non-binary individuals, bisexuals, and asexual characters are few and far between, and often misrepresented.‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’ (2021) featured a trans woman lead but cast a cisgender actor in the role, sparking backlash. Authentic representation means giving queer actors the opportunity to tell their own stories.Shantanu points out, “Trans and non-binary stories are still underrepresented, and when they are shown, it’s rarely from a place of authenticity. We need those stories to be told by people from within the community with nuance, honesty, and lived experience. It’s time for the industry to create space for queer voices not just in front of the camera, but behind it too.”He continues, “The evolution is happening, but we have to be vigilant about calling it out when old patterns resurface. Representation should never come at the cost of dignity.”
From Reel to Real: The power of being seen
Cinema isn’t just about entertainment; it’s a reflection of society. And sometimes, it can lead. Shantanu explains how films helped him feel seen, “The short film in ‘Bombay Talkies’ directed by Karan Johar stood out to me. It was one of the first times I saw a queer character in a setting that felt real and layered, not exaggerated or made into a joke. The story wasn’t trying too hard; it just showed how complex and human these experiences can be. It didn’t solve everything, but it made me feel seen in a small but meaningful way. Sometimes, that’s enough to shift something internally.”
He added, “‘Sheer Qorma’ (although not a mainstream Bollywood release) was beautifully authentic. It handled queer love and generational conflict with such quiet power. The performances, the silences, the intimacy—it all felt so real. It didn’t feel performative; it felt lived in.”So, has Bollywood really evolved representing Queer stories? Yes, but there’s still a long way to goFrom being the punchline to becoming the protagonist, queer characters in Bollywood have come a long way. There’s more authenticity, more acceptance, and more awareness. But the journey isn’t over.Bollywood has the power to shape hearts and homes. It’s time to tell all queer stories—with honesty, complexity and, above all, respect. As Rajkummar Rao aptly said, “Love is love. Just be who you are.”Because real change doesn’t end with representation. It begins with it.
