Watch These 5 Films And Shows To Celebrate Pride Month
From Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan to Badhaai Do, here are a few must-watch titles to celebrate Pride Month.
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The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Beyond Pride Month: The rise of year-round queer spaces in India
Beyond the glitter and thump of Pride Month celebrations in June, a quieter shift is underway — one that privileges community over spectacle, and continuity over occasion. Across India, queer collectives are carving out spaces that extend well beyond mixers and parties. From screenwriting labs and running groups to performance venues and drop-in studios, these initiatives are shaping a more grounded, durable form of solidarity. What binds them is not only the promise of visibility but the deeper work of nurturing queer voices — through skill-building, peer-led workshops, or simply the chance to gather without expectation. These are not one-off events; they are sustained invitations to belong. Casual gathering as care In Mumbai, that ethos is most evident in the quiet energy of Gaysi Family's new studio space in Khar. 'One basic need I've understood even today is that people just want to meet more queer people,' says Sakshi Juneja, co-founder of the longstanding media and community platform, which was founded in 2008. 'Whether for friendship or intimacy, that's the driving force.' Since opening 13 months ago, the studio has become one of the city's few open-to-all queer drop-in zones — no entry fee, no dress code of cool. The programming is gentle and regular: film screenings, acting workshops, and short film showcases. 'Especially for younger lesbian, bisexual, trans, and non-binary folks, where money is tighter, it was important we create a space without that economic barrier,' says Sakshi. Anyone can propose a workshop or event, and the 35–40 seat studio offers itself up, no fanfare needed. 'We announce something every few Saturdays —screenings, art evenings, open mics — and it keeps us connected to the next generation of queers.' Stories with staying power Launched in 2023 by The Queer Muslim Project with support from the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, QueerFrames is one of the few dedicated creative incubators for queer storytellers across South Asia. The lab emerged from a 2022 convening in Nepal — co-hosted with the Goethe-Institut — that interrogated narrative access and artiste support in the region. 'We're not just training writers, we're building a long-term pipeline for queer storytelling,' says Rafiul Alom Rahman, founder of the project. 'The idea is to create structural change so that queer artistes aren't only visible during Pride Month, but have sustained access to resources, networks, and industry platforms.' The first cohort, focussed on short films, brought together 10 writer-directors from India for a residency in Mumbai. Since then, at least three projects have entered production; one received the Kashish Q Drishti grant. In 2024, the lab expanded to fiction features, closing with a five-day immersion at Berlin's European Film Market. Now in its third year, QueerFrames welcomes eight new participants from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (with applications open till July at in a hybrid programme that centres script development and regional solidarity. Recent recognition for alumni Zena Sagar and Ashutosh Shankar's Tara — selected for Frameline, San Francisco's LGBTQ+ film festival — suggests that this slower, behind-the-scenes work is starting to shift the landscape. Creating retreat Outside the urban grid, other initiatives are focussing less on production and more on presence. In McLeodganj, Albela House has evolved into a sanctuary in the hills — run by Dehradun native Akash Aggarwal and his partner Manish Thapa, now based in Bengaluru. The boutique stay does not operate as an explicitly queer venue, but its politics is clear. 'It's about creating access for queer people to take up space, to see themselves reflected in art, and to feel held,' says Manish. Since its inception, Albela has hosted intimate film screenings (Sheer Qorma by Faraz Arif Ansari), theatre readings, and drag performances. In 2023, the couple launched the Rainbow Mountain Festival — a three-day retreat of workshops in mental health, storytelling, movement and performance. Its second edition in April 2024 expanded to 18 sessions, all queer-led, with full-board meals and local transport included. Next, they are developing Casa Albela in Bengaluru: a space designed from the ground up to be structurally queer-affirming. 'One of the biggest issues queer organisers face is finding safe, affirming venues in cities,' says Manish. 'We wanted to build something that doesn't just tolerate queerness, but centres it.' The city as stage This idea that queer culture thrives not just through protest but in steady, unshowy participation is echoed in Kolkata, where third-generation restaurateur Anand Puri has turned Tavern Behind Trincas (TBT) into a quietly significant venue. Located behind the iconic Trincas restobar on Park Street, TBT did not begin as a queer project. But through programming shaped in collaboration with it has become one of the city's consistent queer-affirmative stages. In 2023, Karaoke Thursdays evolved into a weekly ritual. Inspired by the space's embrace of subculture, TBT has also started spotlighting regional Bengali music and the city's emerging hip-hop community. 'Give respect, get respect. That's the universal law here,' says Anand, whose year-round Pride flag is more visible than the restaurant's own name. Walking with memory Elsewhere, the work of cultural restoration takes on a more literal form. In Mumbai, Vikram Phukan's promenade-style production Postcards from Colaba (started in 2022), which is usually performed from October to March, guides audiences through the city's historic lanes, weaving in stories of queer desire, displacement, and coded visibility. Adapted to Goa in 2023, the project became more than a play; it evolved into a storytelling format — part theatre, part walking tour, part quiet insistence that queer histories belong in public space. Similar ideas animate the Delhi Queer Heritage Walk, a collective that has been organising guided walks since 2018. These are not just tours — they are exercises in reclaiming cities. From the intimate relationships in Mughal courts to the legal erasure under British rule, these walks surface what has been forgotten or deliberately concealed. They are small, public acts of resistance. Running with purpose And in Bengaluru, resistance looks like lacing up your shoes. Founded in 2021, Bangalore Front Runners (BFR) is India's first chapter of the global Front Runners network, a queer running collective active in cities around the world. What started with a dozen runners has grown into a Sunday morning ritual. Every Sunday, over 50 queer and allied runners meet at Cubbon Park. Seasoned runners complete 10–12K routes; newcomers join a 5K initiative. Post-run breakfasts are just as integral — part cool-down, part community care. 'We wanted something that went beyond the clubbing scene,' says founder Gourav Tarafdar. 'There was a real need for accessible, open queer sports spaces.' These initiatives are not easily pinned to a season. What they offer is a future where queer life is less about marking presence on a calendar, and more about cultivating belonging in everyday time.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Neena Gupta-Sunita Rajwar on their off-screen friendship: We met in theatre and became friends
Mumbai, They may be pitted against each other as political rivals in "Panchayat" as Manju Devi and Kranti Devi but in real life, Neena Gupta and Sunita Rajwar enjoy a great friendship that goes back to their theatre days. The two have worked together on the 2020 film, 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan', and the Prime Video series, 'Panchayat'. 'We met in the theatre, we did a play together. We kept working together, and when we do a show, we get a lot of time for rehearsals. We have been friends for many years, and we occasionally meet over food or just like that,' Gupta told PTI in an interview. 'When I found out that Sunita was also there , I was very happy because after the shoot, she came to my room in the evening, we cooked together, sometimes, she brought food. So, I got a good company, a good friend,' she said. Rajwar said whenever she gets an offer, and if she is confused about it, she seeks Gupta's guidance. Both Gupta and Rajwar had auditioned for 'Panchayat' and the globally acclaimed movie 'Santosh'. Gupta secured the role of Manju Devi in 'Panchayat', while Rajwar was cast as Geeta Sharma in 'Santosh'. 'It happened during 'Panchayat', where she had auditioned for my role of 'Manju Devi', then there is a film, 'Santosh', for which I had also auditioned for her role,' Gupta said. 'Whenever we do a new project, we both know about it, so it isn't an on-set surprise,' Rajwar said, adding, 'We are friends universally.' Created by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chandan Kumar, 'Panchayat' revolves around Abhishek Tripathi , an engineering graduate who, for lack of a better job, joins as secretary of a panchayat office in a fictional village named Phulera in Uttar Pradesh. Gupta plays Manju, the elected village head , while Rajwar as Kranti is her rival. The fourth season promises to escalate the rivalry as both characters vie for supremacy in Phulera. Rajwar said she admires Gupta as an actor, particularly her work in 'Woh Chokri', for which the received the National Award, and the popular TV show, 'Khandan'. 'The way she carries herself, how outspoken she is, and how clean she is, is what I admire about her. Apart from 'Panchayat', I've been with her a lot, so I know her very well.' Gupta praised Rajwar's commitment towards acting. "When a person is good in real life, then that goodness is reflected in their work. Sunita is very helpful. She gets immersed in her roles... I really admire her," she said, adding, she has unfortunately not seen Rajwar's work in "Gullak" and "Santosh". Co-star and lead actor Kumar, who plays Abhishek Tripathi or 'Sachivji' in the show, expressed his joy at the tremendous love and appreciation the series has received over its three seasons. ''Panchayat' is a well-written show, there is simplicity, authenticity, but I was not sure how many people would click on it and watch it. But it exploded , and many people saw it, and we got so much love from people. I never thought this would happen. "Although I knew that it was a very different kind of story from the stories that were being told at that time. But we didn't predict that it would get this level of result or response." "Panchayat 4" is scheduled to be released on June 24.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Lisa Mishra: I had no hesitation in taking on a role or making a song around the LGBTQIA+ community
Lisa Mishra is thrilled with the response to her recent show The Royals, and the excitement doesn't stop there. Her new single Teri Hoon, released during Pride Month is also creating a buzz. Interestingly, both her on-screen role and her latest song celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community. Ask her about it and she says, 'I had just played a character in a same-sex relationship, and that experience inspired me to write a song.' She continues, 'At heart, I'm a singer first, so I wanted to return to the romantic ballad space which I feel has been missing for a while.' Also read: 'A Royal ignore': Baroda's Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad criticises Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar's The Royals Lisa goes on to explain why such songs are rare today: 'In the era of reels and short formats, it's become harder for slow, romantic songs to trend. On top of that, releasing music independently is challenging. But I was determined to write a song which would also have a music video. I intentionally wrote lyrics from the POV of one woman to another. The visuals reflect that too. There's a female dancer in the background who could be a representation of the inner self.' Even with the struggles of independent music production, Lisa says she didn't hesitate to explore a theme that's still underrepresented in mainstream music. 'I have been lucky to grow up surrounded by many people from the LGBTQIA+ community. While writing the song or choosing the web show, I never felt the need to ask for permission. I never second-guessed myself. People wondered what my parents' reaction would be, but they were fine. After all, love is love. People fall in love the same way, regardless of gender.'
