Same-sex marriages still seek legality, even though more shows, especially on OTT, are based on the sensitive topic. As the Supreme Court multiple petitions, here are filmmakers who vouch for it
Mona
As the Supreme Court hears multiple petitions seeking recognition of same-sex marriages, the issue has once again come under the spotlight. Decriminalising sexuality in 2018 in our country has sure spurred the change. Couple it with now gay and lesbian stories being part of mainstream cinema, as well as numerous OTT shows, which are seeking a push towards normalising it.
Filmmaker Onir, who has given sensitive films My Brother…Nikhil, I Am and lately came up with his memoir I Am Onir and I Am Gay, shares, “There is hope in The Supreme Court and Chief Justice Chandrachud, but the opposition from the Centre and the Bar Council is disheartening. In a democracy, all are equal and every individual’s rights matter. Democracy stands for equality and just because we are a minority doesn’t mean our rights can be overlooked.”
Others from the film fraternity have also come up in support of same-sex marriages. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who gave sensitive stories in the films Aligarh and lately Baai, from the anthology series Modern Love: Mumbai, tweeted, “Come on Supreme Court! Pave the path. Legalise same-sex marriages. #AbKiBaarPyaar.”
Many voices
Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri took to social media to ask ‘10 Important Questions On Five-Judge SC Bench On Same Sex Marriage’. He tweeted, “No. Same sex marriage is not an ‘urban elitist’ concept. It’s a human need. … It’s a right. And in a progressive, liberal and inclusive civilisation like Bharat, same sex marriage should be normal, not a crime.”
While people root for legal sanction, director Akashdeep Sabir says acceptance from one and all will take due time. “It’s been decades of rejection and ridicule, so acceptance is taking so much time.” Actor Sheeba Akashdeep adds, “Definition of marriage is where two people love each other and want to live together. If two women, two men, a man or a woman want to be together and they want to legalise their union, they should be given full rights.”
Actor Sneha Jain believes, “Even in Mumbai I have heard people saying that it feels so weird. Same sex relationships work better because one knows what one needs. A girl being a girl can understand what her girl partner wants and similarly for two men in love.”
On screen
If Deepa Mehta’s Fire in 2002 led to fierce criticism, over the years sensitive stories celebrating ‘queer’ love have won appreciation and approval. Onir was honoured with the National Award for I am in 2011. His My Brother…Nikhil (2005), Shonali Bose’s Margarita with a straw (2014), Aligarh (2015) and Kapoor & Sons (2016) also explored the subject. Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s Badhaai Do (2022) talked about issues that the same-sex couples face. Such stories have only become mainstream over the years. Sonam Kapoor headlined Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, and lately Sharmila Tagore starred in Gulmohar, which was another step towards normalising lesbian love. In OTT shows lately, it has rather become a norm to have one queer love track!
Onir says, “The films and shows project the physicality of a same-sex relationship more, while both physical and emotional sides are equally important.”
Heterosexual filmmakers revealed how much they had to research and sensitise the team before such a project. “Then let us say our stories. Growing up in a heterosexual world, we don’t have to ‘sensitise’ ourselves,” offers Onir, who is working on two stories — Pine Cone, which is being headlined by a queer actor Vidur Sethi. His other story is part of an anthology called My Melbourne.
“Lately, films and the OTT space is open to such tracks and this will help the acceptance factor to a great deal,” says Sabir. Sheeba seconds, “Recent, OTT shows are definitely normalising same-sex bonds, which is a good thing. People tend to look up to film and TV as support systems.”
