Sexuality in Bollywood: Treatment of Homosexuals and Transvestites Part One

A skewed onscreen representation of homosexuals has been recurrent in both old and new Bollywood films. Older cinema’s treatment of these forms is harsher, since they likely will demean these forms of sexuality for their own purposes. Although not thoughtfully done, the fact that Murder 2 did not implement transvestites as an element of comedy points to a more developed handling of different sexualities. Other films have been increasingly shedding light on the struggles that homosexual men and women are currently facing in India.

In the past, the main purpose of any scene featuring transvestites was primarily comedy. Transvestites maintain open sexual expression in movies and are allowed more explicit dialogue than any other character. Donned in garish outfits, they are overly animated as they outwardly vocalize their desire for men in pitchy voices. Transvestites are mostly utilized in tense scenes.. In Anjaam[1994], Johnny Lever performs the role of a transvestite to provide comic relief. This movie revolves around Madhuri Dixit who is taking revenge on a man and all those who aided him in the destruction of her family. Among this madness, Lever, the capricious leader of two other transvestites, is seen onscreen committing petty crimes and flirting with male police officers to dodge jail time. Lever and his crew are able relieve much of pressure from the terrible the series of deaths occurring by bursting in with their amusing stunts.

Homosexuality in its pure form, without the shelter of transvestites, is a touchier subject to the Indian audience. Nevertheless, Bollywood has been slowly opening up to the gay community in their films with both a mature and immature views. While treatment concerning transvestites is almost always insensitive, films concerning homosexuality alone are sometimes handled with more caution. Films like, My Brother…Nikhil [2005] and Fashion [2008], break away from the stereotypes from the gay community with hard hitting, meaningful messages. My Brother...Nikhil addresses the topic of AIDS in the gay community. Sanjay Suri and Purab Kohli play the roles of the gay couple, but Suri is the one that contracts HIV. Suri’s homosexuality and disease makes his familiy shun him and throw him out of their home. He is also kicked off of the swimming team because of the illness. This film focuses intelligently on the issue of AIDS in the gay community.

Similarly, Fashion deals with the struggles of coming out of the closet. Fashion has three leading ladies: Priyanka Chopra, Kangna Ranaut, and Mugdha Godse.  Godse has a marriage arrangement with Samir Soni, a closeted gay man. As an older unmarried man, Soni begins to face skepticism about his sexual orientation. He attempts to dispel these rumors with his marriage to Godse. Although Godse and Soni’s story is a subplot, it still is critical of the rejection of homosexuals in Indian community.