World-renowned Indian director, Amol Palekar‘s (pictured) new movie will tackle one of India’s most taboo topics: homosexuality. Quest revolves around a woman who discovers her husband has been carrying on with another man. With the discovery, she’s forced to confront her own feelings about homosexuality in a country that still technically forbids gay sex. While the law (which dates back to British colonial rule) rarely gets enforced, it remains a legislative stain.
We always thought that Indians wanted to distance themselves from colonialism as much as possible. Bombay, after all, was recently renamed Mumbai. So, wouldn’t it make sense for them to eradicate this law? And, if they’re so insistent on keeping it on the record books, why not enforce it? Not that we’re suggesting they round up all the homos, but in a country whose economic and political power are growing exponentially, one expects a little consistency. Oh, wait, we’re writing from America. It took years until our faggot ways were technically legal. And look where that got us…
“Indian Director Wants New Movie to Raise Debate About Homosexuality” [The Advocate]
dhruv
Well things are happening in india as well, various call for repeal of the section 377 of IPC are made, things are happening in delhi high court.
We can just hope things move fwd from here!!
and infact i was in mumbai when they celebrated this in the gay party down there!!
xoxo
Yesh Prabhu
First came the publication of Raja Rao’s novel “The Boy Friend” that shocked India’s literary community. Now comes Amol Palekar’s movie “Quest”, to shock India’s conservative government officers who have firmly declared that there is no homosexuality in India. Infact, many Indians, including some High Court judges, think that homosexuality is a western disease. I say it’s about time to shake up the sedate Bombaywallas. Let’s hope that the film will be a super box-office hit, and that it will be remembered as India’s Brokeback Mountain.
The High Court was supposed to review and reconsider Section 377 of India’s Penal Code from the legal point of view. Until now the lower court had reviewd the code from a social point of view and dismissed it saying India’s people were not prepared to accept the gay life-style, and called it a “new life style” ! I suppose these judges haven’t been to Khajuraho to see the sculptures there. It’s not a bad idea to send these judges in a bus to Khajuraho. Also give them a copy of the Kamasutra for good measure. May be they will re-think their assumption that gay life-style is a new life-style.
Yesh Prabhu, author of “The Beech Tree”
abhijeet
There is no shame in being gay. See thousands of proud Indian gays show their photos for everyone to see in the Indian gay site, http://www.gaydate.in
There can be no mistake in their choosing to live their lives as free and proud gays. Movies will not change that!