ITV

Tag: LGBT+

  • Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    MUMBAI: With a number of campaigns fighting for the rights of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and the continuous squabble to decriminalize section 377 of the IPC, The Creative Gypsy and Weirdoze are all geared up to launch their revolutionary web series All About Section 377. AAS 377 will launch on the YouTube channel on 27 March 2016.

    The series aims at breaking the perceptions of the LGBT community in society. The team has also sent a two hour cut out of the series to various web series festivals.

    The very draconian and archaic Section 377 from chapter XVI of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1860 introduced during the British rule of India, criminalises sexual activities ‘against the order of nature’, including homosexual acts, as past orders of some of the courts indicate.

    Highlighting the joys and sorrows of the much neglected and side-lined community by most of people, the 8 episode series of 18 minutes each presents a light-hearted look at a male gay couple’s life as seen through the eyes of a straight homophobic man.

    Directed by Amit Khanna, the series is about Suresh who comes to Mumbai from Delhi to pursue a career in acting and modelling. His worst nightmare comes alive when he realizes that his cousin Rohit with whom he is supposed to live with is gay and also has a live-in boyfriend Sid in the same apartment. Thus begins the journey of a homophobic man who lives with a gay couple and how his perception changes over a period of time.

    “From episode 6, the story changes completely and whoever is against the community will have no other go except to accept the fact. My expectation from this web series is that people must understand that they can’t bind love by gender, by society or by social status. I want our society to be more open-minded,” says Amit Khanna.

    The Creative Gypsy’s Khera reveals that since the series did not have any sponsors on-board, they had to launch a new channel for it. “Whoever was ready to take the series was not ready to pay us the amount we have put in producing this series. They wanted to own all the rights of the series, and a few of them didn’t even want our name in it. We have all worked hard for this series. OTT is definitely an emerging platform, but the waters are being tested as yet. We are passionate about having our series up everywhere”, she further adds.

    AAS 377 features an enthusiastic cast of 6 that includes Gulshan Nain aka Suresh, Ankit Bhatia playing Sid and Mustafa Shaik enacting the character of Chotu. The series also shows two girls Fiza Aziz and Surabhi Raut. Amit Khanna makes his debut in the series playing the role of Rohit. Celebrities like Niranjan Iyengar, Iris Maity and Suzanna Mukherjee will also be seen in cameos.

    There are plans to launch a second series. “The second series depends on the success of this one. Till now, we have got a good response from the screening. We aim to give our viewers a strong message through the content on our channel. We have not compromised on anything and have poured our hearts in it”, concedes Khera.

    Here is the trailer of the web-series:

  • Brands come out in support of LGBT community

    Brands come out in support of LGBT community

    MUMBAI: There are brands and then there are brands. The difference between the two is that while some try to be safe and use the same-old formula to reach out to their target audience, others break free to connect with their TG through the issues that matter to them.

    The Supreme Court has turned back the clock on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that was earlier decriminalised by the Delhi High Court in 2009. As per the recent verdict, the 1861 law that criminalises any kind of sexual activity “against the order of nature” – including homosexual acts. While thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists and supporters came out on the streets and took to social media platforms to avenge and retaliate against the ‘regressive’ verdict, they surprisingly found unexpected support from few brands.

    Amul, for instance, has been the pioneer in putting the (ugly) truth out in the open with its cheeky remarks on topical issues. This time again, it has again taken a stand. In its recently released ad, the Amul mascot – the girl in polka-dotted dress offers condolences as she stands beside a tombstone with “Freedom of choice” inscribed on it.

    However, what is interesting to note is that it isn’t just Amul that is making itself heard as a brand. Other brands are shedding their inhibitions as well. The youth fashion brand, Fastrack which takes pride in being the in-your-face youth brand shared a picture on the social media platforms supporting the LGBT community. It read: “The road to equality has never been straight”. Even earlier, the brand had launched a ‘Come out of the closet’ campaign challenging the taboos and asking people to let go of societal norms because the brand is moving on with time.

    But what has surprised everyone the most is the coming of age stance of Tanishq that is largely known to be a brand following tradition. The jewellery brand from the house of Tata took the plunge with the latest advertisement on a social media site which read: “Two of a kind always makes a beautiful pair!” making an unexpected sassy remark on the issue. In a very subtle tone, the brand has made it clear what it stands for.

    Gradually, it is trying to break away from the other traditional counterparts. In October, Tanishq had launched a campaign for its latest wedding collection where a dusky woman was seen remarrying. With the film, the brand aimed to target young women who are looking for differentiated designs and not the old, traditional ones.

    Allen Solly too flaunted the ‘colours’ on the networking site.

    Even internationally, the brands have come out to support the cause with some times being appreciated for their initiatives and many times condemned as well. When United Colors of Benetton launched its ‘Unhate’ campaign featuring images of world leaders in passionate lip-locks with some of their biggest rivals last year, the campaign didn’t do much for world peace but it won an award at Cannes.

    Similarly, Kenneth Cole showcased an ad with two handbags and a headline that read: “We’re pro-choice, after all, she’s the one carrying it.” It was a tongue-in-cheek comment on the debate on abortion in the US.

    Eyewear style brand Ray-Ban was also praised for its advertisement in 2012 that was gay-inclusive. Released as part of its “Never Hide” campaign as part of the company’s 75th anniversary, the ad featured two sharply-dressed gay men out for a romantic stroll on a busy sidewalk.

    The popular coffee brand, Starbucks, which entered the Indian markets, has also taken a pro-LGBT stand. In an interview a US journalist, the coffee chain’s CEO Howard Schultz had revealed that he has once told an anti-gay marriage activist to sell his shares in the company if he disagreed with the company’s position on the issue. His rationale was that it was an important issue to Starbucks’ 200,000 employees, so at the end it was worth any lost sales. “Some things aren’t economic decisions,” he had said that time.

  • Kashish Queer Film Festival invites entries for fifth edition

    Kashish Queer Film Festival invites entries for fifth edition

    MUMBAI: The Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) community is set for a filmy outing very soon as entries for the fifth Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival has been invited.

     

    The festival will be held from 21 to 25 May 2014 (tentative dates).

     

    Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is the only LGBTQ film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theater and the only queer festival to receive clearance from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

     

    The previous four editions of the festival were well received and attracted close to 6,500 footfalls over five days at two venues. Almost 120 to 130 films including shorts, documentaries and features with LGBTQ themes from across the world are screened at the festival every year.

     

    The competition categories in the festival are: Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best International Narrative Short, Best Indian Narrative Short, and Riyad Wadia award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker.

     

    The last date of submission of forms is January 31, 2014. However, the festival encourages early submission as previews begin mid November. The selected filmmakers will be notified by email by March 31, 2014.

     

    The winners will be selected by a panel of eminent jury.

     

    For details and online submission of forms, one can log on to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K2014-FilmSubmissionForm

  • The LGBT challenge for Indian TV & cinema

    The LGBT challenge for Indian TV & cinema

    It’s said that a country’s art and culture reflect its plight in the best way. At the present time its TV and films that have become the biggest platform to showcase the visual arts. And in the present situation when the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community is facing a tough time after the Supreme Court reinstated that gay sex will remain a criminal offence, it seems so apt.

    On Wednesday, the Supreme Court gave a severe blow to the largely-closeted homosexual community in the world’s largest democracy. It overturned a 2009 ruling by Delhi’s High Court, which had lifted a ban on gay sex between consenting adults that dates back to 1861. According to SC, only parliament can now change the penal code. Under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sexual activities “against the order of nature” – including homosexual acts – are a criminal offence.

    The law says: “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”
    While the law has can be extrapolated to cover even heterosexual couples indulging in oral or anal intercourse, it’s the folks with alternate sexual orientation (the LGBT community) that are the most troubled.

    Apparently, if we look back, we would realise that "mainstream" commercial TV and cinema  (whicht are not just the most disposable form of art in the country, but also the most common source of entertainment across masses) are mostly devoid of any content that features the LGBT community. 
    'Maryada…lekin Kab Tak' featured a gay couple but the main plot overshadowed this sub-plot

    While in the world cinema space, we have had aesthetically and artfully shot films like Brokeback Mountain,All About Love, Another Country among many others, in India, the ones that feature gay relationship are either very caricaturish in nature (like Dostana that largely made fun of a gay relationship), or aren’t promoted enough to reach the masses. 

    Films like Fire by Deeepa Mehta, My Brother Nikhil and I Am by Onir, one of the short films in Bombay Talkies by Karan Johar and Dunno Y…Na Jaane Kyun have tried to bring up the topic to the fore, but our country’s film certification board hasn’t let them reach the audience the way they were supposed to. Others like Girlfriend sank without a trace as most of the scenes were just meant to provide cheap thrills rather than focusing on the issue. There have been many other independent films, like You Can't Curry Loveabout an Indian gay, Vikas who works in London that has won awards and acclaim at international film festivals but in India remain confined to the certain sections.
    Mitchell and Cameron in 'Modern Family'

    The situation on TV seems to be even worse. While the world TV is opening up to a cross-section of issues, we seem to be lagging far behind with most of our shows still featuring the saas-bahu sagas.

    So if, internationally, we have shows such as Mom and Dads, an Israeli series involving a menage-a-trois between two gay men – Ima and AbaZ and the mother of their child; Modern Family, a comedy that tastefully puts across the relationship of a gay couple; The New Normal that follows a wealthy Californian gay couple – Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) – who have a child through a surrogate mother; Sean Saves the World about a gay father and his teenaged daughter; and The Fosters produced by Jennifer Lopez featuring a lesbian couple and their three kids, airing on TV, in India, we can hardly recall anything similar.

    While there’s no serial featuring a gay couple in the lead plot, even the side-kicks who have portrayed gay characters haven’t been fleshed out well. One of the first official gay characters was Petha, portrayed by Deven Bhojani in Tara almost two decades ago, that even a hardcore TV viewer would hardly be able to recall. Maddy in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi portrayed by Rajesh Khera was another character that showed an alternate sexuality openly, however it was more comical in nature and barely brought out the issues of the community.
    'Moms and Dads' is about a gay couple raising a baby

    It was only in 2010 when Imagine TV reprised a popular Telugu serial Rakth Sambandham that dealt with the character of a closeted eunuch, the industry had thought that Indian TV is coming of age. But unfortunately, the serial, Rakt Sambandh starring Dhruv Bhandari and Sriti Jha, didn’t work its magic on the audience and met with a natural death very soon.

    Another show, Maryada…Lekin Kab Tak had a strong sub-plot featuring a gay relationship portrayed by actors Dakssh Ajit Singh and Karaan Singh. But that too didn’t make much difference as it was overshadowed by the main storyline.

    At a time when the entire country is debating on what could be done to protect the rights of the LGBT community and is suggesting various measures from bringing in young leaders and disowning the judiciary, shouldn’t the creative industry instead of shouting and screaming on social-media platforms come forward and work towards putting the spotlight on this minor community whose members can now be labelled as criminals just because they love someone from the same sex!

  • Over 130 films in fourth edition of India’s largest LGBT Film Festival

    Over 130 films in fourth edition of India’s largest LGBT Film Festival

    NEW DELHI: The fourth edition of KASHISH International Queer Film Festival beginning tomorrow in Mumbai will screen a total of 132 films from forty countries.

    While China is the country in focus with more than 12 films, there will be LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) films from Iran, Serbia, Slovakia, Pakistan and Morocco.

    The Filmmaker in focus is American filmmaker and activist Jim Hubbard, who will be traveling to India to be present at the festival being held from 22 to 26 May.

    The Parade from Serbia will open the festival while Rituparno Ghosh’s Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish will be the closing film.

    The festival will be held at a Cinemax, Versova in Andheri from 22 to 26 May and at Alliance Française de Bombay from 23 to 25 May.
     
    KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is the first and only gay and lesbian film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre and one of the first queer festivals to receive clearance from the ministry of information and broadcasting.

    Festival programmer Saagar Gupta said:"This year KASHISH is programming the biggest collection of films and from countries that are very diverse, including countries where making films on LGBT themes is challenging. Also keeping in tune with this year’s themes of ‘Towards Change‘ there are several outstanding documentaries to watch out for including Vito, United in Anger, Call Me Kuchu, Hide & Seek, Invisible Men, Not A man in Sight and from India …And The Unclaimed. These films showcase stories of struggle, trauma and happiness of LGBT persons across the world."