It’s high time we talk about the queer community, says Sai Deodhar

Sai Deodhar is now gearing up for what she calls one of the most personal and important projects of her career – her first feature film as a writer-director. “It’s very special because the subject that I’ve taken is slightly different, not a very typical commercial subject, but I have put it in a commercial setup. So that it becomes very palatable for everyone,” she says.The actress-director spoke to us at the Kashish Film Festival event recently. Her film revolves around a family and two sisters, with one of them coming out as queer and the ripple effect it has on the household. For Sai, the intention was never to shock audiences, but to encourage dialogue within Indian homes.“My idea was for people to sit and have a conversation. And I realised that could only happen if it was a comfortable film for everyone to watch — right from my grandmother to my great nephew’s son. I’m a grandmother myself now.” Sai reveals that the inspiration came from her own upbringing in a traditional Maharashtrian family where conversations around LGBTQIA+ identities were often avoided.“I grew up in a progressive Maharashtrian family, but again, when it came to the topic of LGBTQIA+, they didn’t want to talk. So I realised, why aren’t we even talking? You could have your own viewpoint, which I respect. And obviously, as people who have not grown up seeing this, for them, it’s still a taboo. But it’s high time we talk,” she shares.