Everyone was impressed by actor Gulshan Devaiah’s subtly powerful portrayal of a homosexual character in Badhaai Do (2022). The actor says he is pleased to see people’s attitudes towards these stories shifting as he celebrates pride month. The actor describes an event that led him to think that people are genuinely starting to be open.
“I was in Dehradun, shooting for my film Guns and Gulabs. And coincidentally, Rajkummar (Rao, co-star in Badhaai Do) was also there. We were staying in the same hotel and whenever we went to the restaurant, some of the other guests and locals with their families would come to dine there. There were so many times that elderly women who had grandchildren would come to me and Raj to appreciate the film. They even said that we were such a great couple on screen. That left me so surprised,” he shared during an interview.
According to Devaiah, he is unaware of any additional information or observations regarding the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ stories by Indian viewers, and his personal experiences have led him to believe that these films can make a difference.
“I’ve not read any research papers or statistics that films around homosexuality are being accepted or not. But, this is my experience. I never imagined that in a small town like Dehradun, people would come and show so much love for Badhaai Do. If people come in and give me their best wishes, that means things are changing,” he further adds.
The actor claimed that people have become progressive and also the industry needs to realise this change. “Maybe we underestimate our society to some extent. With any sensitive topic, you can’t shove everything down somebody’s throat. It really depends on how you communicate the subject to them. When you tell stories, people are able to identify with your characters, so there is no need to push any thoughts”.
“I don’t know if there is a change per se, but there are definitely more stories being told. Cinema has soft power and it can impact society and promote inclusivity. We have to be careful not to overestimate or underestimate the power of cinema, or the power of stories,” avers Devaiah.
“I completely liked the idea that I would be romancing Raj, and that’s all I had to do. I just tried to be sincere to the writing. How does it matter? How does the gender of the person in a story matter? If I had to fall in love with a lamp post, then that’s my reality. So, it didn’t matter at all,” Devaiah wraps up.
