With homosexuality getting increased acceptance in the country, isn’t it time for Bollywood to get a gay, macho character?
Actually, it might already have in Charlie, the lisping ‘bad boy’ hero in this year’s hit, Kaminey. From bloggers to critics, many have speculated about.
The sexuality of the character portrayed by Shahid Kapoor. To begin with, Charlie lisps a standard gay stereotype.
Apart from that, his relationship with Mikhail has distinctly homoerotic undertones. The two sing duets in a psychedelic nightclub, dance in the rain and make plans to run away.
While rolling on the floor together when Charlie tells Mikhail about the stash of cocaine he has chanced upon?
And a scene where Mikhail chases Charlie in a red sports car, amidst pouring rain, would have had Freud smiling in glee.
What about the ending, which shows Charlie, hitched to a gorgeous gal? Blogger Ganesh Chandrashekhar argues that it’s a post-death dream. ‘‘Charlie dreams of being a successful bookie and married to a woman.
This looks like Charlie’s homosexual guilt coming through, because the addition of a female character in the end seemed rather contrived, suggesting that he hopes to be straight in a highly homophobic society.’’
Other bloggers have pointed to Charlie’s emotional breakdown when he sees Mikhail’s corpse. And they see heavy symbolism in Charlie naming his dream bookie venture ‘Mikhail & Co.’, which is set up after he steals diamonds. Which by implication means Charlie stole diamonds for Mikhail. If that isn’t true love, what is?
Chandan Roy Sanyal, who plays Mikhail, says he is aware of such arguments. ‘‘I don’t think the two are gay, they just share a brotherly relationship. I grew up like this with my brother, a lot of bonding, touching,’’ he laughs.
But he welcomes the buzz about the characters. ‘‘People thinking that Charlie is gay shows they are ready to accept that gay men do not have to be overtly effeminate,’’ says Sanyal, adding that he would love to play a role like Sean Penn in the Hollywood film Milk.
But Bollywood is only taking baby steps with movies like Dostana, says film critic Anupama Chopra. ‘‘We still portray gay men with limp wrists and rainbow-coloured accessories, mostly cast as a comic relief. It is a long time till we get a gay hero who is macho enough to be the lead actor. In fact, Vishal Bhardwaj told me if a sequel is made, Charlie will have a girlfriend,’’ she says. As conspiracy theorists might say, ‘‘Fo fad”.
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