Unveiling narratives: representation of same-sex love in Bollywood films

The paper situates homosexuality as neither a disorder nor an anomaly, referencing the APA’s 1973 decision and broader scientific and historical evidence, including same-sex behavior in animals and Indian historical texts. It traces how British colonialism introduced homophobic legal frameworks (Section 377) and heterosexist norms into India, contrasting them with India’s earlier sex-positive traditions. Despite decriminalization in 2018, social acceptance remains incomplete. The paper distinguishes Bollywood’s contemporary, globally inflected culture industry from pre-1990s Bombay cinema and underscores media’s central role in shaping public understanding of LGBTQ identities. Against a backdrop of stereotypical or marginal portrayals and political resistance to films like Fire (1996) and Girlfriend (2004), the study focuses on two post-2018 films (Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan) and poses two research questions: (1) How do visual elements contribute to the representation of homosexuality in the selected films? (2) How is familial resistance portrayed from the perspectives of both homosexual individuals and their families?

The review outlines gendered and heteronormative tropes in Indian cinema—especially the construction of women as bearers of cultural identity and “Mother India”—and the patriarchal resistance to lesbian representation. Early portrayals often stereotyped gay men as comical or effeminate (e.g., Mast Kalandar, Dostana, Kal Ho Na Ho), while lesbian characters were rare and frequently sexualized, pathologized, or framed through male gaze (e.g., Girlfriend, Unfreedom). Some films offered sensitive narratives (e.g., My Brother Nikhil, I Am, Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh), yet homophobia and misrepresentation persisted. Recent mainstream films (Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Badhaai Do) seek to normalize queerness by aligning it with family and nation, aiming for compatibility rather than disruption. The review identifies a gap: limited comprehensive analyses tracing diverse Bollywood representations of homosexuality and clearly delineating exceptional narratives. This study addresses that gap by analyzing exceptional cases focusing on family negotiation and reconciliation.

Qualitative film analysis of two mainstream Hindi (Bollywood) films released after the 2018 partial striking down of Section 377: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020). The study examines visual elements (e.g., costume, framing, lighting, props, symbols, embedded performance) and narrative structures to understand how homosexuality is represented and how familial resistance is portrayed from the perspectives of both homosexual individuals and their families. Primary data comprise publicly accessible films; secondary data include research articles and critical reviews cited in the references.

• Both films center homosexual protagonists and foreground family acceptance as the core narrative objective, marking a shift from earlier Bollywood depictions that often misrepresented, mocked, or tragicized queer characters.
• Visual elements function symbolically to normalize and assert same-sex love:
  • Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga uses costume contrasts, dim lighting, close-ups, and the embedded play/performance to externalize Sweety’s inner conflict and to educate/convert diegetic society and family; pink attire during the play signals same-sex love; Sweety’s diary symbolizes hidden identity and catalyzes paternal acceptance.
  • Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan uses train 0377 (referencing IPC 377) as a narrative frame of a journey toward acceptance; on-screen public same-sex kisses (in train and wedding) depart from earlier private or comedic contexts; pride flag, body piercings, and graphic tees serve as identity and resistance markers; framing separates and later unites the resistant father with the couple, visually charting reconciliation; the black cauliflower subplot allegorizes the father’s misguided rationalism and eventual discarding of homophobic beliefs.
• Family functions as primary resistance: brothers, parents, and elders enforce heteronormative expectations (marriage, reproduction), use emotional pressure, rituals, and even physical intimidation; homosexual individuals, out of love for family, initially resist coming out or acquiesce to heteronormative demands (e.g., accepting marriage proposals) before reasserting identity.
• Compared with prior films (e.g., Fire, Dostana, Girlfriend, Aligarh, Kapoor & Sons), the selected films provide positive endings centered on familial acceptance and reconciliation, positioning them as exceptional narratives in mainstream Bollywood post-decriminalization.

The findings directly address the research questions. First, visual elements—lighting, costume, framing, symbolic props (diary, pride flag), embedded theater, and the train number 0377—do not merely decorate the narratives; they encode meaning about identity, stigma, and pathways to acceptance. Such cinematic choices translate abstract debates into accessible imagery that can impact audience attitudes. Second, familial resistance is depicted as the primary obstacle: relatives invoke cultural norms, heteropatriarchal expectations, and ritualized solutions to enforce conformity. The films reframe the typical coming-out arc into a negotiation within the family unit, showing both the emotional costs (self-suppression, fear, shame) and the transformative potential of dialogue and empathy. In doing so, these works advance mainstream normalization strategies—aligning queerness with family and nation—while still challenging homophobic assumptions. Their significance lies in shifting Bollywood’s center toward more inclusive, reconciliatory narratives that can influence social acceptance in post-2018 India.

Bollywood’s earlier depictions often involved misrepresentation, mockery, closeting, or unresolved tragedy. The selected films instead foreground negotiation and reconciliation within the family, positioning family acceptance as the foundational step toward broader social change. By integrating queer protagonists into the heteronormative family structure, the films establish a sense of normality and model acceptance. Although both narratives resolve positively, they do not address issues such as work life, financial status, adoption, or same-sex marriage rights following union. Nonetheless, these films represent a significant advance in mainstream representation and have the potential to further public conversation and acceptance of same-sex relationships in India.

The study is limited to Bollywood films and may not capture the full diversity of homosexual representation in other Indian regional cinemas, international contexts, or alternative media. Future work could conduct comparative studies across regional industries or international films to broaden cultural and cinematic perspectives. Additionally, the films analyzed, while focused on familial acceptance, do not engage with post-acceptance socio-legal issues (e.g., marriage rights, adoption), which future research might explore.