Barring films like My Brother...Nikhil, Shab and Aligarh, LGBTQ characters have long been buried under unsubtle stereotypes in Bollywood. However, increasing acceptance over the past few years has allowed some filmmakers to take a grounded and more naturalistic approach to queer narrative, albeit in a limited capacity.
And undoubtedly, Ayushmann Khurrana's latest release Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, about a gay man from a small town of India, marks a progressive shift in this direction.
Yet, it also could have been an opportunity for a gay actor to play the role, which went to a heterosexual star.
When asked about the same, Ayushmann told us, "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is about empathy. And, the target audience of our film is an average Indian homophobe. If we over intellectualise it or over emotionalise it then the film won't reach out to a wider audience. This movie is just a stepping stone to those kinds of films where two homosexuals will act in a pure emotional love story. But this is not that movie."
The actor insisted that it was important for them to make the film an out-and-out commercial entertainer in order to pave the way for more queer narratives in Bollywood.
"More than an emotional movie, it's a comedy. Everything has been told via humour. Of course, we have given a very front-footed film about two boys but this is a popcorn entertainer. We need that kind of movie to penetrate more."
The actor continued, "This film is not a love story per se. It is basically a reaction of the family when they come to know that their son is a gay. We have kept the approach of the film very commercial so that it reaches a wider audience. If there is no humour in this film, it will become a parallel film. Then it'd only cater to film festivals or become a documentary of sorts. And, if you'd show that film to the people then it will only cater to the people who are standing for the homosexuals. It'd become a pure multiplex film where you already have people in support with homosexuals. We want to reach out to people who are against homosexuality. And for that, you have to give them humour and a commercial texture."
Noting humour is the best way to present a seemingly serious topic in an effective way, Ayushmann revealed that he even told Anubhav Sinha, the director of Article 15, to take a satirical approach for the crime drama in order to reach a wider audience.
"Every film has it own grammar and every film's director's vision is different. If Hitesh (Kewalya, director) had made Article 15 then he would have made it a satire. In fact, I had a discussion with Anubhav sir that let's make a satirical film because it would have a wider reach. After all, Article 15 was eventually a multiplex film. It made around Rs 65 crore but if it were a satirical then it would have collected Rs 100 crore also. Humour will always get you more audience," he said
"The audience doesn't really want to consume anything serious because there's already so much happening in their own lives. But like I said each film has its own grammar, so you have to follow that. I want to collaborate with Anubhav sir more. His sur is totally different from mine and I think precisely why it works for me. Because it's like a mould-breaking genre for me. But this is my staple genre which I'm doing right now with Hitesh. It's his and Anand L Rai sir's vision. And, Anand sir is known for family entertainers," he concluded.
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, also featuring Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao, is currently playing in the theatres.
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