Queer Representation in Bollywood | Geeli Pucchi | Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga | Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui #125

Queen is Dead - A Film, TV and Culture Podcast

Hello, Hello, Hello!

In our first (of three!) episodes on Queerness in Film this month, Dhruv invites Queer Academic & SRK and KJo Fanboy Cris Patrick (@limjaeseven) to discuss the one thing he "avoided like the plague for the longest time as he himself came to terms with his identity" -- Queer REPRESENTATION in Bollywood.

We emphasize the word "representation" because our focus for this episode is on films that overtly position themselves as queer narratives about queer people. This includes films that belong to, as Cris points out, the "Ayushmann Khurrana Social Messaging Industrial Complex" ("Chandigarh"), mainstream melodramas ("Ek Ladki..."), and incredible shorts buried within otherwise abhorrent Netflix anthologies ("Geeli Pucchi" in "Ajeeb Daastaans").

Listen to the full episode to hear us detail the history of Queer Representation, its aesthetics, and politics in Bollywood, especially before we tackle these three individual films -- two of which Dhruv and Cris are split on, one which they unabashedly adore.

TIME CODES

Introduction & Episode Overview - [00:00 - 13:31]

History of Queer Representation, Aesthetics & Politics in Cinema - [13:32 - 41:39]

"Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga" (2019) - [41:39 - 01:11:39]

"Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui" (2021) - [01:11:39 - 01:41:41]

"Geeli Pucchi" (2021) - [01:41:41 - 02:23:21]

Other Favorite Queer Films in Bwood & The Future of Bwood Queer Cinema - [02:23:21 - 02:45:43]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

YOU CAN (& SHOULD!) FOLLOW CRIS IN ALL THESE PLACES -

Twitter - https://twitter.com/limjaeseven

Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/crislim/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/

Articles & Research Papers Referenced in this Episode -

1. "Gender Minority and its Changing Portrayal in Bollywood Films" (Ankita Chowdhury, 2019).

2. "Indian Cinema and the Queer Gaze: Presentation of LGBTQ+ in Bollywood" (Neha Jain, 2021).

3. What's Happening to Queer Cinema in the LGBT Boom? (Alex E. Jung, 2018). https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/queer-cinema-whats-happening-to-it.html

Audio Excerpts -

1. "Ek Ladki Ko Dekhta Toh Aisa Laga" Trailer

2. "Chandigarh Kare Aashqui" Netflix Promotional Clip

3. "Geeli Pucchi" Netflix Promotional Clip

4. "Sang Rehna" - Geeli Pucchi