‘Badhaai Do’, ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’, 'Kapoor & Sons’: 5 times mainstream Bollywood movies explored LGBTQ+ relationships

Bollywood has often portrayed LGBTQ community in a stereotypical way and the concept has been kept away from the mainstream movies. However, with content taking centrestage, the films based on LGBTQ+ relationships have been getting their due in the mainstream cinema. Actors like Rajkummar Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar and others have tried to put across this message through their films.

Here we take a look at FIVE times mainstream Bollywood movies explored the LGBTQ+ love and relationships.

Read more: Rajkummar Rao on Badhaai Do: People compromise in their relationships due to societal pressure – Exclusive!

After impressing one and all with ‘Badhaai Ho’, Junglee Pictures is all set to take the franchise forward with yet another quirky and unique concept in ‘Badhaai Do’. The movie stars Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao in the lead roles. The movie is based on the concept of lavender marriage where a man and a woman get married for the purpose of hiding homosexuality. While Rajkummar plays the role of a gay policeman in the film, Bhumi essays the role of a lesbian physical education teacher. The film is set for a theatrical release on February 11.

Read Also: ‘Badhaai Do’ trailer: Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar starrer highlights lavender marriage with a fun dose of comedy and drama

Abhishek Kapoor garnered accolades from all quarters for his last film, ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’. In the film, the character of Ayushmann Khurrana falls in love with Vaani Kapoor’s character who is a trans-woman. The film received positive reviews from the audience and the critics alike. In an interview with IANS, Ayushmann said, “We wanted to talk about the need for gender inclusivity and for that to happen, it was important that a critical number of people saw and engaged with the film. From the word go, we wanted to make a film that touched as many people as possible.”

Read Also: Vaani Kapoor on playing a trans woman and intimate scenes in 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', dealing with trolls and more

Ayushmann Khurrana’s yet another attempt to bring the concept of LGBTQ+ love and relationships in the mainstream cinema was seen in Aanand L Rai’s ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’. The film tells the story of a gay man and his partner, who have trouble convincing the former's parents about their relation. It successfully highlights the topic of homosexuality and same-sex lovers without any stereotypical concepts. The film also starred Jitendra Kumar, Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta in lead roles.

Sonam Kapoor, who has always been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, represented them in her film, ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’. In the film, she played the role of Sweety Choudhary who is in love with a woman named Kuhu, played by Regina Cassandra. The film shows how Sonam's character is afraid of coming out to her father Anil Kapoor and her traditional Punjabi family.

‘Kapoor & Sons’ was probably one of the first attempts made in Bollywood to normalise LGBTQ+ representation in the mainstream cinema without stereotyping their characters. In the film Fawad Khan and Sidharth Malhotra play estranged brothers in a dysfunctional family. Things take a turn for the worst when the character of Ratna Pathak Shah gets hold of Fawad’s intimate photos with his boyfriend. The film is all about how a mother accepts her son’s homosexuality. The film also starred Alia Bhatt in a key role and was received with positive reviews.