I’m a strong supporter of LGBT rights: ‘lesbian ad’ actress

She’s the long-haired, doe-eyed beauty in the now viral ‘lesbian ad’ for an ethnic-wear brand. Many of us would have seen her in Telugu movies and also as the feisty young girl in the Bharat Nirman ads a while ago. But ask Anupriya Goenka whether she was hesitant about doing this ad, and she quickly replies that it was the very audacity of the thought that had her promptly saying yes to it.She tells us how she came to do the ad, and how she’s feeling now.
Did you deliberate for long, before taking up this assignment?
Not at all; it was very prompt. It is a fun, audacious and very bold ad, and as an actor, I have always wanted to do varied characters.
Are you straight?
(Laughs) You can quote me on this. ‘So far, yes.’
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What was it about this role that appealed to you?
Though everyone is talking about it as the ‘lesbian ad’, the way we handled it during the making, I know that it is not only talking about same-sex relationships, but about living in together, women empowerment, and more. Plus, I am a strong supporter of LGBT rights. I have many homosexual friends, and I believe in their fight. When I realised this ad was inclined towards the lesbian community, I felt a sense of purpose. But yes, when we made it, I had no idea that it would go viral and all.
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But it has…
And I am glad about that. We are all talking about trying to bring about change, and there are so many people voicing so many opinions on this gay rights issue. I think it’s high time Section 377 is overturned. As a society, whether we are willing to admit it or not, we are ready. This ad was also, in a way, about coming out. And I want to say this out loud to the community – if because of this ad, someone gets the courage to come out in the open, if someone gets influenced and gets comfortable with who they are, if even one lesbian couple gets encouraged by this ad, I would think we’ve achieved something.
Was it awkward emoting with a woman, scenes that as an actor you’d usually visualise doing with a man?
Well, it was a bit awkward in the beginning, but then we met up on the set, and once the familiarity of knowing someone came in, it was easy. Of course, I would maintain that as an actor, I must be ready to validate a certain scene on camera... Actually, the first idea was to include a kiss. The director wanted to have two different options to show – one that included a kiss, and one without it. As it happened, on the first day, by the time we finished the rest of the scenes, we ran short of light and time, and so, decided to do the kiss-wala scene the next day. But when everyone saw the rushes of the first day, they were very happy with the subtlety of the chemistry and the emotional nuances, and decided to stick with this version, and not even try out the one with the kiss.
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You speak in Tamil in the ad – was that deliberate?
Yes, it was. It was built into the script, and I practised the lines to get the intonations correct. The idea was to have a girl rooted in a certain kind of background – she had to be from a conservative family, dusky and curly-haired – and contrast it with the one from a different culture. The other girl is a north Indian, you see. And then, in the ad, I have conservative Tamil parents, who are willing to accept such a relationship, who care just for their daughter’s happiness. So yes, the Tamil bit in the ad was deliberate.
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What about your parents?
Well, I didn’t even tell them or ask for their permission before doing this ad. But now, they have seen it and loved it. I come from a traditional Marwari family, but my family is very liberal, and they have been OK with whatever I do.
And boyfriend?
(Laughs) I don’t have any right now, but yes, back then, when I was seeing someone, I used to tell him I’d do a homosexual ad if one ever comes my way and he used to freak out.
WATCH: India's First Ad Featuring A Lesbian Couple!