June is celebrated as Pride Month in honor of the Stonewall movement in the USA during the 1940s and 1950s, when LGBTQI+ people were persecuted by the police. Actor, writer, and producer Palash Dutta, who has produced the award-winning short film Thanks Mom, says the LGBTQI+ community has always existed in Bollywood, and he has seen significant change over the years as far as they are concerned.
“In the Bollywood industry, the LGBTQI+ community has always been present, especially among makeup artists, hairdressers, costume designers, and even directors and actors. In the early 1990s and 2000s, many people in the community were not open about their sexuality because being gay was illegal until Section 377 was abolished a few years ago. While consensual same-sex relationships are now legal, same-sex marriage is still not recognized by the Indian government. As an actor from the LGBTQI+ community, I’ve seen significant changes over the years,” he said.
“In the past, we had to live behind closed doors and often led double lives. I was always open about my orientation, but we didn’t speak about it openly because the industry was more conservative. While the industry has always been somewhat accepting, the broader society often looked down on people from the LGBTQI+ community,” he added.
He believes today there is more awareness about the community and their rights, especially because of social media. “People recognize the talents and creativity of the LGBTQI+ community. Many people in Bollywood have close friends from the community, making it easier for LGBTQI+ individuals to live openly.”
Palash mentioned that personally, he has become more open about his sexuality in the last 5–7 years. He said, “There was an article featuring me as one of the first openly gay Bollywood actors. I believe my sexual orientation shouldn’t impact my career as an actor. In Hollywood, actors from the gay community play romantic roles with women on screen while maintaining their personal lives off-screen.”
“I see myself as having two lives: Palash Dutta, the human being, and Palash Dutta, the actor. My personal life should not be judged or dictated by how I dress or behave. As an actor, my skills and performances should be the focus. Whether I’m playing a doctor, a father, or any other role, my ability to convincingly portray characters should matter most to directors, producers, and casting agents. My orientation should not overshadow my work as an actor.”
