Bollywood is increasing taking up issues related to the LGBTQ community and bringing them to the silver screens.
Although queer Bollywood still lacks the support of the mainstream audience, it is constantly striving to normalise and question the taboos around the Indian LGBTQ scene.
A film by Shonali Bhosle, Margarita with a straw touches issues that are still a taboo.
In a recent turn of events, Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana has confessed he takes up films with controversial or taboo subjects to bring a change in the society, according to Hindustan Times Ever since Khurrana made his debut in Bollywood, he has always managed to push the ante by picking one tricky role after another.
One of my primary reasons to do films on taboo topics is to try and impact a change in society – start a conversation in families and make people think of the realities that are around them and impacts them regularly.
It is this strong urge to try and highlight the real, the important that I decided my brand of cinema will stand for taboo breaking subjects.»Khurrana says his core audience base is the family audience across the country and he wants to entertain them at all times even while doing a film with a message and one that is thought provoking.
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana says he chooses to do films on taboo subjects to bring a change in society.
Ever since Ayushmann made his debut in Bollywood, he has always managed to push the envelope.
One of my primary reasons to do films on taboo topics is to try and impact a change in society — start a conversation in families and make people think of the realities that are around them and impacts them regularly.
«It is this strong urge to try and highlight the real, the important that I decided my brand of cinema will stand for taboo-breaking subjects».
As the rare Bollywood star who takes on socially conscious roles that also end up scoring big at the box office, .
Earlier this year, he became the first mainstream Bollywood actor to play a gay man in a leading role in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan —a comedy with a message on same-sex wedding in a small town.
«We have no dearth of taboo subjects or social issues in a country and that provides a lot of fodder for great cinema,» he said.
Mental illness has been a prolonged taboo in the society.
Bollywood celebrities are the role models.
The epitome of love and romance, the very one King Khan of Bollywood had also struggled with depression.
Actor Kirti Kulhari says while there’s no derth of smart female characters in Bollywood, the industry needs to have wider representation of women on screen, showcasing different facets of them.
The actor says Bollywood shouldn’t «play safe» when it comes to chronicling stories about women.
I feel the real representation is not widely available in Bollywood.
«We should go in and get our hands dirty and lets not shy away from really showing and representing the sexual life or taboo subjects.
The subsequent release of the movie saw Bollywood celebs candidly posing with sanitary napkins, talking about normalization of periods.
While many organizations in India like ‘Eco Femme’ and ‘Mukti Project’ are working upon various taboo related issues at the grassroot level.
In the role, Tabu subtly showcased The Unspeakable between a mother and son, and gave Bollywood storytelling an edge of maturity.
To resort to a convenient pun, breaking taboos has shaped Tabu’s career.
The taboo of playing mother
The taboo of being a powerful woman
The taboo of awards and rewards
Then my friend Harneet came to the parlour, and it sank in.»I was headed to Pondicherry the next morning to shoot for Life of Pi, and coincidentally, Irrfaan, my co-star in that film, also won the National Award for best actor. » So the entire team celebrated it together!«How does Tabu deal with competition?»We’re living in a world that feeds off each other,« she says. »Honestly, I don’t have the bandwidth to think of competition. » I know it’ll wear me out. » I’d rather focus on getting better. » I also know that this attitude can be counterproductive: some people thrive when they have competition to nudge them. » Not me. » I acknowledge that the scenario today is very competitive and, more or less, you are replaceable. »
If you allow yourself to get bogged down, then that’s it!«The taboo of ageing»Growing up, looks pe itna significance nahin tha. » Would you believe it if I said my mother had never used lipstick her entire life? She did so for a wedding after we were grown up, and we were laughing, saying she can’t open her lips!« she says.»My definition of beauty has never been frantic. » I understand that one’s appearance is currency. » But I never thought beauty is the only thing; 80 or 90 per cent of your attractiveness comes from your personality,« explains Tabu.»Till today, when something is not suiting me, why should I wear it? And on the other hand, if something is not trendy, but is comfortable and works for me, I am OK with it. » Itna conscious bhi nahi hona chahiye. »
The taboo of being Tabu»Would you believe my mother never used lipstick her entire life? She did so for a wedding recently, and we were laughing, saying she can’t open her lips!«Tabu’s jokes about herself are things that’d make any heroine terribly insecure. » She refuses to surround herself by yes-men and managers, keeping herself just an SMS away from the rest of the world.»My strongest relationship has to be with the work I do,« she says. »Work is my space and I don’t want to crowd it. » My voice has been strong, persistent, relentless. » I like to keep communication direct; I don’t like things to be lost in translation. » I don’t like walls being created. » I’ve always been like that. » «And beyond work? »I want to constantly widen my world. » I’ve learnt Spanish and French. » I cannot be pigeon-holed into one thing. » Once a year, I must visit my sister and get my breather. » It’s important for me to connect to the world that’s outside my world. » «Join in the conversation using #Tabutiful
In the last couple of years, a lot of actions has been taken to stop period shaming and remove the taboo that surrounds menstruation and educate people about this natural physical phenomenon. »
In the last couple of years, a lot of actions has been taken to stop period shaming, which is done shamelessly in India, remove the taboo that surrounds menstruation and educate people about this natural physical phenomenon. » Incidentally, Bollywood stars have played an instrumental role in this journey that has seen many positive transformations. » Today, stars like Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte and Manushi Chhillar have supported the Menstrual Hygiene Day campaign through Instagram posts. » Also Read – Kareena Kapoor tries ‘matcha’ face mask with sister Karisma Kapoor: Know its benefits
BOLLYWOOD STARS VS. »
Many Bollywood stars such as Twinkle Khanna, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kalki Koechlin, and Sonam Kapoor among others have taken up the cudgels against period shaming. » They have shared their views and experiences regarding menstruation on social media to destigmatize it, initiated awareness campaigns and even demanded the withdrawal of 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins. » This demand finally saw GST on pads being waived off. »
The text of this article was generated by the Breaking The Silence system that collected 9 news articles posted on the web from January 2019 to September 2020 and clustered for the taboo subjects related to Bollywood
