Rainbow Reels: The Evolution of LGBTQIA+ Portrayals in Indian Cinema After Section 377

Abstract

This paper looks at how the reading down of Section 377 transformed the lives of LGBTQ+ people, especially in how they’ve been portrayed in cinema. It explores how their characters were shown in the past and how that portrayal has slowly shifted away from harsh stigma. Movies like Raja Harishchandra to Bhishma Pitamah provide testimony that there has always been a quiet presence of queerness. Films like Kal Ho Naa Ho, Sadak, and Mastizaade reflect how queer lives were often misrepresented, exaggerated, or pushed to the margins.  But the change after the reading down of Section 377 was significant. With movies like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Badhaai Do, we can now see how mainstream cinema is shifting from outdated stereotypes toward a more thoughtful, nuanced kind of acceptance. This paper explores that shift.