5 Desi Movies With Queer Lead Characters To Watch This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a day of love and acceptance. So let’s celebrate this day by opening our minds and hearts and watching these films with queer lead characters. These films have made an impact on Indian society and society’s views on homosexuality. The movies listed here range from Sapphic romantic comedies to tragic films based on the life of a gay activist.

1. Fire (1996)

Fire is a romantic-drama written and directed by Deepa Mehta, starring Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi. It is one of the first mainstream Bollywood movies to explicitly show a relationship between two queer women. The film focuses on Radha (Azmi) and Sita (Das), two women who grow frustrated with their mundane lives and marriages. Their relationship grows over the course of the movie and they become lovers. The film ends on a happy note as Radha and Sita move out to live together.

Fire is classic movie that was met with a lot of backlash and controversies. Attackers attempted to shut down several theaters and several theatres screening the movie were set on fire. This revolutionary movie corresponded with the start of a national conversation with queer rights. The rights group Campaign for Lesbian Rights (CALERI) was formed in response to the backlash.

2. My Brother… Nikhil (2005)

My Brother… Nikhil is a film directed by Onir, based on the life of Dominic d’Souza. It follows the life of the queer lead character, Nikhil (Sanjay Suri). The film is set between 1986 and 1994, when AIDS awareness in India was low. Nikhil’s relationship with his parents, sister, friend, and boyfriend is relatable. While Nikhil’s relationship with his parents deteriorates after he is diagnosed with HIV, they reconcile before his death and continue to support Nikhil’s boyfriend.

The film was met with appreciation worldwide .Juhi Chawla, the actress who plays Nikhil’s sister won the Zee Best Actress Critic Award for her performance.

3. Kapoor & Sons (2016)

Kapoor & Sons is a family-centric drama with an ensemble cast featuring Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajat Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor. The film focuses on two estranged brothers that return to their dysfunctional family. It received critical acclaim and was met with praise for the plot and performance.

Fawad Khan’s character Rahul is gay and has a secret boyfriend in London. After his mother Sunita, played by Ratna Pathak Shah finds out, she reacts in a negative manner. Her reaction is the reaction every queer child fears, and her gradual acceptance provides viewers with hope. Sunita’s gradual acceptance of her son is a relatable and honest depiction. Rahul’s arc of coming out as gay remains my favourite scene in Indian film till this day.

4. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is a coming-of-age romantic comedy film directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar. The screenplay is written by Dhar and Gazal Dhaliwal. It’s plot focuses on Sweety Chaudhary (Sonam Kapoor), a closeted lesbian and her attempts to come out to her conservative family.

The dynamics of platonic friendships, family, and queer love are explored. While a majority of the focus remains on familial relationships and platonic friendships, the queer love story remains a delight. The creators played it smart by not making the film overtly gay, considering how heteronormative and “culture” oriented Indian society is.

5. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is a romantic comedy film staring Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra Kumar. It follows Aman Tripathi (Kumar) and Kartik Singh (Khurrana), a gay couple trying to get their family to support their relationship. By the end of the film, Aman and Kartik’s families have accepted them and the Supreme Court has decriminised homosexuality.

It’s an entertaining feel-good movie that received praise for the main cast’s and supporting cast’s acting. It didn’t shy away from queerness, yet managed to be an entertaining film that could be enjoyed by an entire family.