Filmmaker Onir made an appearance at the Kashish International Queer Film Festival, where he was left disappointed to see that no one from the industry came to show support. He said, “None of the OTT programmers, or a studio head…nobody from that world really came to watch the films with the community.”
He added, “Who are they to sit in those creative spaces and decide what stories about us need to be told, if they can’t support us when needed. They are all from same gender - men or women and some closeted people - writing this from a very heteronormative view.”
Onir points that most Bollywood narratives tell LGBT stories about “accepting us, and they forget that queer people’s life is not just about acceptance or shortcomings.” Citing his recent conversation with an actor, he said, “I recently called up an actor for a role and his immediate response was, ‘I have already done a gay character.’ Would he say the same about straight characters? Of course not.” Which is why, he opines all these talks by the industry about inclusivity are “only a way for the heteronormative world to pat themselves are doing the bare minimum. In reality they’re fighting with their homophobic thoughts.”
“When their films are happening and when they need the community to cheer them and celebrate them, that’s when they remember us. Otherwise, we are forgotten. There’s no one talking about a film made by a queer director or casting done by a queer actor,” he continues, “When there’s an event where the community needs support, there’s total silence from these people. They don’t talk about marriage equality or pride month. These are people from industry who are so-called flag-bearers of change, trying to rewrite the narrative of the LGBTQIA+ world and making efforts for our acceptance.”