Before Badhaai Do, Here are the Bollywood Films that explored the LGBTQ community with glory

Today, Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao released the Badhaai Do trailer and fans are impressed. Moreover, they are happy that the duo is promoting the LGBTQ community as Bhumi and Rajkummar are essaying the role of a lesbian and gay respectively in the film. However, Badhaai Do is not the only film that has explored this community, there are several Bollywood films that have raised awareness, taught us acceptance, discussed pride history and made us express love and compassion for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Having said that, Bollywood has crushed the stereotype and has explored the LGBTQ community with glory, trying to explain the audience with an important social message.

Take a look at Bollywood films which is based on LGBTQ:

1. Badhaai Do: Directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni, in the film, two homosexual people get married to each other. It mainly revolves around lavender marriage.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bhumi ? (@bhumipednekar)

2. Kapoor and Sons: Directed by Shakun Batra, in the film, Ratna Pathak Shah’s character was seen in utter shock when she found out Fawad Khan’s character is gay.

3. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan: The film shows how Indian parents find it hard to accept their son’s sexuality who is involved with another man which is played by Ayushmann Khurrana.

4. Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui: Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, the film teaches us how to accept a transgender. Vaani Kapoor plays the transgirl who falls in love with a man played by Ayushmann. 

5. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga: This was probably the first mainstream LGBT movie after Section 377 was lifted. In the film, a Punjabi father played by Anil Kapoor is shocked and is unable to accept his daughter’s sexuality played by Sonam Kapoor who is a lesbian. 

6. Aligarh: Directed by Hansal Mehta, the film stars Manjoy Bajpayee is a professor who was involved with a man. However, after his truth was revealed, he was sacked from the university and was ridiculed by society. Rajkummar Rao who played a journalist offered him help after understanding his story.

7. Bombay Talkies: Randeep Hooda who is a closeted homosexual is shown married to another woman. However, he gathers courage one day and comes out of the closet, showcasing his love for another man played by Saqib Saleem.

8. My Brother Nikhil: Though the film focuses on the part when Nikhil played by Sanjay Suri was diagnosed with HIV. But in the film, he was shown having a boyfriend which was played by Purab Kohli. It is very emotional.

9. Margarita With A Straw: Kalki Koechlin who is suffering from cerebral palsy in the film is also a lesbian. Her relationship with Khanum is the USP of the film.

10. Dostana: We are not sure if this film should be on the list but Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra starrer did explore the homosexuality community.

Also read: 7 Bollywood films that dealt with infidelity before Gehraiyaan