Celebrating Pride Month: Bollywood stars who dared to love differently on screen

As the rainbow flag rises this Pride Month, it’s worth spotlighting the slow but significant transformation happening in Indian cinema. Once bound by stereotypes and silence, queer representation on screen is now beginning to find its voice—honest, vulnerable, and defiantly human.

Break barriers with bold queer roles

From closeted athletes to lesbian matriarchs, these Bollywood and OTT actors have stepped into roles that challenge convention, amplify unheard stories, and reflect the vast, vibrant spectrum of queer identity. Here’s a salute to the stars who didn’t just play characters—they helped shift culture.

Lisa Mishra – The Royals

In her transition from music to screen, Lisa Mishra embraced queerness with understated grace. Playing a queer character in The Royals, she offered a layered look into identity against a backdrop of aristocratic tradition. Her performance hints at the evolving canvas of queer storytelling on Indian OTT platforms.

Akshay Oberoi – Inside Edge Season 3

In a world of locker-room bravado and competitive testosterone, Akshay Oberoi’s character quietly dismantled a wall. As a closeted cricketer navigating identity in a hyper-masculine space, Akshay brought quiet vulnerability and dignified depth to a high-octane show. His coming-out arc was not just pivotal—it was powerful.

Sharmila Tagore – Gulmohar

Returning to the screen with elegance and gravitas, Sharmila Tagore’s portrayal of a queer matriarch was a quiet triumph. In Gulmohar, love isn't young and reckless—it’s lived, layered, and quietly revolutionary. Her performance made a subtle but strong statement: queerness isn’t just for the youth.

Rajkummar Rao – Badhaai Do

Rajkummar once again proved why he’s a powerhouse of nuanced performances. In Badhaai Do, he played a gay cop locked in a lavender marriage with remarkable restraint and authenticity. With every flicker of discomfort, every beat of buried truth, he offered a moving portrayal of queerness wrapped in duty and denial.

Madhuri Dixit – Maja Ma

With Maja Ma, Madhuri shattered yet another stereotype—this time about age and identity. Playing a woman who comes out to her family in mid-life, she balanced grace and emotional turmoil, reminding audiences that the journey to self-love has no expiration date.

Gulshan Devaiah – Badhaai Do

Though his screen time was brief, Gulshan’s presence lingered. As the potential love interest to Rajkummar’s character, he radiated warmth and confidence, giving queer love a dose of much-needed normalcy. Sometimes, quiet visibility speaks louder than grand gestures.

Sonam Kapoor – Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

In a landmark role, Sonam portrayed a young woman grappling with her truth in the heart of a conservative Punjabi family. Her gentle, sincere portrayal made Ek Ladki Ko Dekha... a watershed moment—a love story that whispered rather than shouted, but resonated deeply.

Ayushmann Khurrana – Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Ayushmann brought queer romance to the front row of the mainstream with his bold and breezy portrayal of Kartik. Out, proud, and unapologetically affectionate, his character tackled homophobia head-on—with humor, heart, and a healthy dose of style. It was a rom-com with revolution in its DNA.

Vaani Kapoor – Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui

Vaani took on one of Bollywood’s rare trans characters and approached it with sensitivity and earnestness. As a transgender woman finding love and acceptance, she brought visibility to a community long ignored—though the conversation rightly continues about casting trans actors in trans roles.

Anshuman Jha – Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele

A gay man, a lesbian woman, and a road trip that becomes a meditation on love, freedom, and chosen family—Anshuman Jha delivered a performance full of quiet strength. His chemistry with co-star Zareen Khan offered a refreshing take on platonic queer companionship.

These portrayals mark important strides—but the journey is far from over. True representation isn’t just about presence; it’s about depth, diversity, and authenticity. As more actors step into queer roles with care and courage, Indian cinema inches closer to a future where all love stories are seen, heard, and celebrated.