LGBTQIA+ stories can have happy endings too: Sridhar Rangayan

It is important to bring out the right kind of cinema that talks about LGBTQIA+,” says Sridhar Rangayan, an award-winning Indian filmmaker, writer, and activist known for his work in social advocacy and queer cinema. For more than two decades, he has harnessed cinema as a vehicle for both artistic expression and activism, centring on authentic portrayals of India’s LGBTQ+ community. Sridhar, who screened his latest film, Kuch Sapney Apne, in Ahmedabad recently, says, “It is a sequel to my film Evening Shadows (2018) and is a continuation of the story about a gay couple and their family members. It’s a semi-autobiographical film and the main message is that every relationship is complicated, whether straight or queer.” He adds, “Our film has been screened at 32 film festivals and won 12 international awards. It was released in February 2025 for a brief period, and now we’re screening it in different cities. Our first screening was in Ahmedabad, and the response was overwhelming. People loved the film and even cried towards the end.” ‘Want to tell stories of our community through films’ Sridhar, who has been making queer films throughout his career, says, “I want to tell these stories and for the last 25 years, I have been making films about my own community in different forms. We have made films on transgender people, gay people and many more.” He adds, “Mainstream cinema has a very myopic view of what the community is about. Most of the time, gay men are portrayed as transgender or effeminate. In my latest film, the main leads are normal-looking boys who are having an affair. They have a breakup, issues with the family; everything is the same as any other relationship. We make these films to portray a reality which hasn’t been done by mainstream filmmakers.” ‘People are more accepting of queer films now’ Sridhar, who has made critically acclaimed films like 68 Pages and Breaking Free, believes things are better now when it comes to acceptance for queer films. He shares, “Most films I have made are independent films, so getting an audience for them has been challenging. Earlier, many would be scared to go to theatres (for queer cinema) because people would think that they were gay. I have had screenings where people would come wearing glasses and hats and cover their faces to ensure nobody could recognise them.” However, he adds, “Times have changed. People are more aware and accepting now about such films, especially in metro cities. A houseful screening in Ahmedabad has encouraged us to take it to more cities. I believe this is a film for the big screen.” ‘Queer characters should be written with sensitivity’ Talking about queer representation in Bollywood, Sridhar shares, “Since the 2018 Supreme Court verdict that decriminalised homosexuality, we have seen several mainstream films like Evening Shadows, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga leading the way. While mainstream cinema has become more positive and respectful in how it portrays LGBTQ+ characters, the number of such films has reduced of late. On the other hand, while almost every web series now includes a queer character, it often feels like they are just there to tick a box rather than being part of a meaningful story. For the community to feel represented, it is vital that these characters are written with sensitivity and given full, well-developed roles.”He adds, “If big actors, directors, producers etc. make such films, that can also boost awareness in the country, which is already growing at a good pace.” Sridhar says, "We’ve tried to make Kuch Sapney Apne mainstream by adding three songs. One is composed by Vishal Bhardwaj and sung by him and Rekha Bhardwaj. The second one is sung by Shaan. Such eminent singers being a part of the film is a big deal for us," adding, "On many occasions, even LGBTQ films made by Indian filmmakers tend to have a sad ending. So, I focus on stories that have happy endings too. My latest project is a happy, mainstream gay film that I wanted to show the world."