‘It’s homophobia’: Indian filmmaker Apurva Asrani calls out backlash over clip of Dutch PM Rob Jetten with partner

A social media post meant to celebrate the normalisation of LGBTQ+ relationships has instead sparked a debate online, after Indian screenwriter and filmmaker Apurva Asrani faced backlash for sharing a clip of Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten with his partner, Nicolás Keenan.

Asrani, an editor and filmmaker in Bollywood, took to X to post a video of the couple sharing a brief embrace in front of cameras. He framed the moment as a sign of societal progress, noting how public images of same-sex couples in positions of power once felt “distant” but are now part of everyday public discourse.

"That’s Rob Jetten, the prime minister of the Netherlands, with his domestic partner Nicolás Keenan, an Argentine field hockey player. There was a time when images like this in public discourse felt distant, almost improbable. Today, they belong quite normally to our world," he wrote in a post that quickly sparked a debate among social media users.

The post quickly drew mixed reactions. While many users welcomed the message of inclusion and visibility, others criticised both the display of affection and Asrani’s decision to share it. "I think it is undignified for a head of state to be having a cuddle struggle with their partner on social media, regardless of orientation" wrote one user.

"No, they don't. This is not suitable for a politician. This is the kind of stuff a fifteen-year-old posts," added another.

Responding to the massive backlash on the post, Asrani made another post, calling out the X user for being "homophobic" and pointing out the bias of how the images and clips of straight leaders romancing with their partners never call for such condemnation.

"Some people outraged over a clip I posted; of #RobJetten, the Netherlands PM & his partner. No kiss, just closeness. They called it unbecoming of a head of state. Yet when straight leaders show intimacy in public, it is called warmth. The issue isn’t decorum. It’s homophobia," he wrote.

While Asrani made the first post with an intention of celebrating how forward the society had come and appreciating the change in mindset of people over homosexual couples, it actually revealed just how much homophobia is hidden in the depths and crevices of the society, where a gay couple sharing a small act of intimacy such as a hug is enough to cause outrage in the name of 'appropriate demeanour' by a political head.

Jetten, 38, made history as the youngest prime minister of Netherlands along with being the first openly gay head of the government. Now, Jetten's partner, Nico Keenan has informally stepped into the symbolic position of the country's first "First Gentleman in Waiting." The two reportedly connected in The Hague in 2022 and Jetten texted the athlete after repeatedly spotting him in supermarkets and coffee shops around the city. They announced their engagement in November 2024 and are planning to tie the knot this year, as per some Dutch media reports.



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