Assignment 205 : The New Age Literary Landscape: An Analysis of Globalization and the Portrayal of Modern Indian Youth Aspirations in Chetan Bhagat's Select Novels

This blog is part of an assignment for Paper 205A: Cultural Studies  (Assignment Details)

Personal Information:-

Name:- Krishna Vala

Batch:- M.A. Sem 3 (2024-2026)

Enrollment Number:- 5108240037

E-mail Address:- krishnavala2005@gmail.com

Roll Number:- 12

Assignment Details:-

Topic:-  Assignment 205 : The New Age Literary Landscape: An Analysis of Globalization and the Portrayal of Modern Indian Youth Aspirations in Chetan Bhagat's Select Novels

Paper & subject code:-  Paper 205A: Cultural Studies 

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar. 

Date of Submission:-  7 November,2025

Words : 2456

Table of contents:-

Abstract

Introduction

The New Age of Indian Publishing and the Commercial Fiction Boom

Globalization, Modernity, and the Shifting Indian Value System 

Portrayal of the Urban Middle-Class Youth Aspirant 

The Critique of Literary Sophistication vs. Cultural Influence 

Conclusion 

Abstract

This paper critically examines the literary and cultural significance of Chetan Bhagat as a defining figure in twenty-first-century Indian English fiction. Beginning with Five Point Someone (2004), Bhagat’s works mark a paradigm shift in Indian publishing by demonstrating the commercial potential of mass-market fiction in English. Through an analysis of his selected novels, the study explores how Bhagat’s narratives mirror the socio-economic transformations of post-liberalization India, particularly the effects of globalization, modernity, and consumerism on the nation’s urban middle class. His accessible, colloquial language and focus on themes such as youth aspirations, educational pressures, corruption, and shifting moral frameworks democratized English fiction, engaging a vast new readership previously excluded from elite literary circles. The paper also addresses the critical debate surrounding Bhagat’s perceived lack of literary sophistication, arguing that his cultural and sociological impact outweighs such aesthetic critiques. By situating his fiction within the broader context of India’s economic liberalization and the rise of popular literature, this analysis establishes Bhagat as both a product and chronicler of a transforming nation. Ultimately, his oeuvre serves as a vital cultural document, capturing the aspirations, anxieties, and contradictions of a globalized generation navigating the intersection of tradition and modernity.

Word count : 2456

Introduction

The literary phenomenon of Chetan Bhagat, commencing with Five Point Someone (2004), signifies a crucial turning point in Indian English literature, establishing the commercial viability of mass-market fiction and fundamentally reshaping the publishing landscape. This assignment analyses Bhagat’s selected novels as vital cultural artifacts that reflect the intense socio-economic and cultural transformations of post-1990s India, driven primarily by globalization and modernity (Patil, 2018). His narratives, which focus on youth aspirations, corruption, and the erosion of traditional values, offer a direct commentary on the anxieties and desires of the urban middle class in a rapidly Westernizing environment, despite attracting criticism for a perceived lack of literary sophistication. The paper explores how Bhagat’s accessible style democratized English fiction and cemented his status as a barometer for the nation’s cultural and aspirational shifts in a globally interconnected era.

The New Age of Indian Publishing and the Commercial Fiction Boom 

The ecosystem that allowed Chetan Bhagat’s brand of popular fiction to flourish was cultivated by significant structural changes in the Indian publishing industry following the economic liberalization of 1991. The late 1980s and 1990s saw a transformation in the means of production for English literature, marked by a substantial increase in both independent Indian publishers and the establishment of international houses, such as Penguin India in 1985. This competitive and diverse environment allowed for a notable diversification in categories and genres within Indian English literature, moving beyond the traditional, often diasporic, literary concerns toward stories rooted firmly in domestic, everyday Indian life.

Historically, English-language fiction in India often appealed primarily to an elite, highly educated domestic class or was written with a global audience's expectations in mind. Bhagat’s arrival fundamentally disrupted this model. His immediate and unprecedented commercial success demonstrated that English fiction was not only commercially viable for the mass market but could also successfully tap into the enormous, previously underserved demographic of first-generation English speakers and the burgeoning urban middle class. His works, selling millions of copies, proved that the "best-seller" could be homegrown and locally focused, a monumental shift from previous literary economics.

The democratization of reading was a direct consequence of this shift. Bhagat’s choice of language—simple, direct, and colloquial—was deliberately designed to communicate without barriers, making the reading of a full-length English novel an accessible pastime for a wider audience. He addressed common, recognizable themes like campus life, call-centre jobs, and inter-regional marriage, thereby providing a mirror to the daily realities of his readers.

This rise of commercial fiction, however, was not without its critics. The economic triumph of the best-seller was often viewed by literary purists as a compromise, a favouring of marketability over intellectual depth. Critics expressed concern that the focus on simple plots and language represented a “devaluation” of traditional literary taste. Despite these reservations, the commercial fiction boom instigated by Bhagat fundamentally reshaped the industry's trajectory, proving that English writing could capture a wide, non-elite domestic market. Bhagat’s work did more than just sell; it catalysed a new era of publishing where accessibility and relatable content determined success, paving the way for numerous other new-age Indian authors. This transformation ensured that the modern aspirations and anxieties of the Indian youth, as documented in his novels, could reach an audience scale never before witnessed in the country's English literary history.

Globalization, Modernity, and the Shifting Indian Value System 

Chetan Bhagat’s novels serve as an invaluable literary mirror to the profound impact of globalization on the Indian psyche and its traditional social structures in the post-1990s era. Globalization is understood here not merely as an economic process, but as a ubiquitous cultural flow that introduces and intensifies the influence of Westernization and modernity across all facets of life. The resulting conflict between tradition and rapid modernization is a central, recurring theme in Bhagat's oeuvre.

Modernity, characterized by its self-conscious departure from conventional practices, is vividly portrayed through characters who often navigate complex personal and social choices. This tension is most evident in the depiction of familial and interpersonal relationships. In a globalized world, the ideal Indian value system faces considerable stress, leading to a noticeable breakdown in traditional adherence to conventional ways of living. The appeal of Western values is strong, often resulting in characters who exhibit alienation from their families or who actively embrace norms—particularly concerning love, sex, and career autonomy—that clash with parental or societal expectations. Bhagat’s ability to capture this transition, where familial ties are strained and individual desires often supersede communal duty, positions his work as a crucial sociological text of contemporary India.

Furthermore, globalization and the subsequent liberalization of the economy have intensified consumerism and an overwhelming focus on material wealth and professional success. This new cultural emphasis on hyper-ambition often occurs at the expense of established moral and ethical frameworks. The inclusion of themes like corruption and the single-minded pursuit of status, which are prominent in novels like Revolution 2020: Love. Corruption. Ambition, directly links personal ambition to the societal ills catalysed by a global capitalist ethos.

The moral compromises made by characters to achieve financial and social success—a reflection of the widespread degradation of social and moral values in contemporary Indian society—are central to Bhagat's narratives. The protagonists frequently engage in ethically questionable actions or navigate corrupt systems, illustrating how the quest for economic advancement in the global marketplace often necessitates a compromise of moral principles. This portrayal holds a mirror to the anxieties of a generation that has been promised prosperity through modernization but must reconcile this promise with a society still grappling with systemic issues. The narrative, therefore, becomes a powerful, albeit simplified, commentary on the ethical cost of India's integration into the global order. By focusing on these challenges, Chetan Bhagat succeeds in documenting the complex, and often fraught, transition of Indian society, making his literature an indispensable record of the globalized era’s cultural impact.

Portrayal of the Urban Middle-Class Youth Aspirant 

The unparalleled commercial success of Chetan Bhagat is inextricably linked to his deep resonance with the urban, educated youth, effectively making him the spokesperson for “What Young India Wants”. His characters are overwhelmingly members of the urban middle class, often first-generation English readers who are negotiating high-stakes environments—from elite engineering colleges to BPOs—that are themselves products and symbols of India's rapid economic and technological globalization.

A core thematic concern that runs through Bhagat’s work is the intense pressure and systemic flaws of the Indian education system. Five Point Someone: What not to do at IIT is perhaps the most iconic example, directly addressing the brutal academic competition and the immense stress students face in institutions perceived as gateways to global success and social mobility. The novel captures the conflict between the crushing weight of parental and societal expectations for high achievement and the individual student’s struggle for personal freedom and self-discovery. This narrative spoke volumes to the millions of students for whom success in education is the definitive path to escaping middle-class constraints and achieving a globally competitive lifestyle, establishing Bhagat as a chronicler of this generational struggle .

Beyond education, Bhagat’s novels capture the transformation of the job market ushered in by globalization. One Night @ the Call Centre vividly sets the scene within the new service sector economy. The call centre, which functions as a literal and metaphorical connection to the Western consumer, becomes a setting for exploring profound issues of alienation and identity crisis. Characters struggle with adopting Western pseudonyms, working night shifts that invert their natural rhythms, and sacrificing personal relationships to sustain the global flow of capital. The novel exposes the human cost of being a cog in the machine of the globalized service industry.

The protagonists are consistently shown grappling with postmodern subjects: youth desires, career pressures, the nature of modern love, and sexuality, all played out against the backdrop of an ambitious, yet culturally complex, urban landscape. They represent a generation that is economically empowered by globalization but often culturally confused, attempting to reconcile newfound financial and social freedoms with the enduring grip of traditional Indian values and conservatism.

Even seemingly personal issues, such as marriage and inter-caste relationships, are filtered through the lens of modernization. 2 States: The Story of My Marriage, while a love story, also highlights how the modern, globalized environment of elite colleges serves as a crucial mixing pot, facilitating relationships that transcend traditional regional and caste boundaries—an indicator of increasing internal mobility driven by education and careerism. Bhagat's genius lies in simplifying these complex sociological and economic issues into easily digestible, plot-driven narratives, thereby ensuring that the experience of the modern, aspirant Indian youth is broadcast to the widest possible audience. His focus on these contemporary themes makes his fiction an essential text for understanding the hopes and hurdles of the new Indian generation.

The Critique of Literary Sophistication vs. Cultural Influence 

Despite his indisputable commercial and cultural dominance, Chetan Bhagat's work has consistently attracted sharp criticism from the established literary community. This critique fundamentally hinges on the perceived lack of literary sophistication in his writing, suggesting that his overwhelming success is achieved through the “devaluation” of traditional literary standards.

The core of the literary establishment's argument lies in the contrast between Bhagat’s style and that of his predecessors. Whereas earlier generations of Indian English writers often prioritized complex narrative structures, nuanced prose, and themes that catered to an intellectual or globalized elite, Bhagat deliberately employs direct, colloquial, and often unadorned prose. Critics argue that this simplification, while excellent for mass-market accessibility, sacrifices the intellectual depth, rich character development, and stylistic complexity traditionally valued in canonical literature. The debate thus often becomes a stand-off between commerce and art, where the best-seller’s economic vitality is seen as having come at the cost of artistic integrity.

However, viewing Bhagat solely through the lens of traditional literary analysis overlooks his immense cultural and sociological function. His novels have successfully done what many acclaimed literary works have not: they have democratized English-language fiction, converting a massive new demographic into readers and making the act of reading a popular, non-elite activity. He, along with others in the wave of popular fiction, has been instrumental in the rise of a readership that prefers straightforward narratives that tackle recognizable, contemporary social issues.

Furthermore, Bhagat’s reach extends beyond the written word. His influence was significantly magnified through multiple Bollywood adaptations, such as 3 Idiots (based on Five Point Someone), which carried his stories, and the social issues they represented, to an even broader, pan-Indian audience. Whether critics classify his work as mere commercial writing or as “social commentary disguised as fiction,” his role as a chronicler of generational change in India remains paramount.

His success highlights a fundamental shift in the literary taste of budding book lovers, who increasingly prefer stories that are immediately relatable and address contemporary problems directly. In this context, Bhagat’s lack of traditional literary flair is arguably his greatest strength, allowing him to connect with the very youth demographic whose struggles he attempts to document. Therefore, to fully understand the trajectory of twenty-first-century Indian culture and publishing, one must appreciate Bhagat’s enduring status as a key figure in the “New Age Best Seller” category, regardless of the reservations held by traditional critics.

Conclusion 

The analysis confirms that Chetan Bhagat’s massive success is not an isolated event but a direct and representative product of the profound socio-economic and cultural shifts experienced by India in the wake of post-1990s globalization. His work effectively articulates the complexities of a nation caught between rapid modernization and enduring traditional structures. By championing an accessible, colloquial style, Bhagat broke down the linguistic and class barriers previously associated with Indian English literature, thereby democratizing the genre and connecting directly with the aspirational, yet anxious, urban middle-class youth.

His novels function as crucial cultural documents, providing unparalleled insights into the generation’s educational pressures, career ambitions, evolving morality, and the societal conflicts catalysed by global forces. The tensions surrounding the valuation of his work—pitting commercial viability against traditional literary sophistication—ultimately underscore his significant role in redefining the modern Indian literary landscape. His legacy is cemented by his ability to document and influence the national discourse on key contemporary issues. To understand twenty-first-century India, particularly the aspirations and challenges of its youth, Chetan Bhagat's popular fiction remains an indispensable cultural touchstone.

References

GUPTA, SUMAN. “Indian ‘Commercial Fiction’ in English, the Publishing Industry and Youth Culture.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 47, no. 5, 2012, pp. 46–53. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419848. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Kaur , Kiranpreet. MONEY MATTERS: EXPLORING COMMERCIAL WORLD OF LITERATURE THROUGH CHETAN BHAGAT, www.indianscholar.co.in/downloads/27-kiranpreet-kaur.pdf. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Patil, Laxman Babasaheb. IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON CHETANBHAGAT’S SELECTED NOVELS, www.researchgate.net/profile/Laxman-Patil-2/publication/375960789_Online_ISSN_2348-3083/links/65655d88b86a1d521b12eb5a/Online-ISSN-2348-3083.pdf. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Singh, Amar Pratap. Chetan Bhagat and the Rise of Popular Fiction in India, www.ijesh.com/j/article/view/234/245. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Tantry, Javaid Ahmad. Portrayal of Modernity Swing on Indian Values in Chetan Bhagat’s Novels, www.researchgate.net/publication/330715926_Portrayal_of_Modernity_Swing_on_Indian_Values_in_Chetan_Bhagat%27s_Novels. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Assignment 204 : Queer Theory in Bollywood: Deconstructing Desire, Performance, and the Post-377 Landscape

 This blog is part of an assignment for Paper 204: Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies (Assignment Details)

Personal Information:-

Name:- Krishna Vala

Batch:- M.A. Sem 3 (2024-2026)

Enrollment Number:- 5108240037

E-mail Address:- krishnavala2005@gmail.com

Roll Number:- 12

Assignment Details:-

Topic:-  Assignment 204 :Queer Theory in Bollywood: Deconstructing Desire, Performance, and the Post-377 Landscape

Paper & subject code:- Paper 204: Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar. 

Date of Submission:-  7 November,2025

Words : 2242

Table of contents:-

Abstract

I. Introduction

II. Theoretical Framework: Key Concepts and Critics

• Performativity and the Closet (Butler and Sedgwick)
• Queer Readings, Power, and the Diaspora (Foucault and Gopinath)

III. The Pre-Millennial Closet (1970s–1990s): Coded Invisibility 

• Homosociality and the Coded Gaze
• The Use of Performativity for Comic Relief and Villainy
• The Rupture of Fire (1996)

IV. The Post-Millennial Repertoire (2000s–2018): Explicit Visibility 

• Comic Misunderstandings and Homophobic Plot Devices
• Independent and Activist Cinema: Centring Dignity and Intersectionality
• Expanding the Queer Text: Celebrity and Homo-textuality

V. Normalization and Critique in Post-377 Bollywood (2019–Present)

• The Mainstream Push for Acceptance
• The Critique of Homonormativity

VI. Conclusion 

Abstract

This assignment argues that the journey of queer representation in Bollywood is a complex, three-stage evolution: from an initial era of coded invisibility and stereotyping (pre-2000), through a period of explicit but marginalized activist cinema (roughly 2000–2018), and culminating in the current, post-Section 377 phase of mainstream 'normalization'. By drawing upon the theoretical models of Gayatri Gopinath, Judith Butler, and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, this essay will analyze Bollywood’s evolving queer repertoire, which has been conceptually framed as being staged through the familial, the performative, and the activist. Ultimately, this analysis will critique the emerging phenomenon of homonormativity that defines much of the recent mainstream representation.

Words : 2242

I. Introduction

The cinematic landscape of Bollywood, the popular Hindi film industry, has historically functioned as a dominant cultural mechanism, consistently upholding a strict heteronormative vision of Indian society, familial structure, and national identity. For decades, non-normative sexualities have been systematically marginalized, typically relegated to the roles of the caricature, the villain, or the source of fleeting comic relief. The application of Queer Theory offers a vital critical lens to move beyond literal, surface-level representation, allowing for an examination of how these mainstream narratives—and the counter-narratives that resist them—construct, suppress, or subvert the presence of LGBTQ+ identities. Queer Theory, in its refusal of fixed categories of sex, gender, and desire, provides the analytical framework to uncover subtle subtexts, read homosocial bonds as homoerotic, and analyze the pervasive societal influence of the closet in Indian culture.

II. Theoretical Framework: Key Concepts and Critics 

Queer Theory provides the necessary tools to deconstruct Bollywood’s deeply entrenched heteronormative discourse by questioning the very nature of identity and power.

1. Performativity and the Closet (Butler and Sedgwick)

Judith Butler’s concept of Performativity is central, suggesting that gender and sexuality are not inherent biological traits but rather socially constructed through the repeated performances of norms and behaviours. In Bollywood, this is evident in how non-normative characters are often compelled to perform exaggerated, “deviant” stereotypes—like the effeminate man as a joke—to maintain the illusion of heterosexual stability in the main plot. This process of performance reinforces negative stereotypes and contributes to the marginalization of the community within the cinematic landscape.

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s Epistemology of the Closet offers valuable insights, describing the pervasive influence of heteronormativity and the forced concealment of non-normative desires and identities within societal structures. The concept highlights the central role of concealment in shaping queer experience in a culture where heterosexuality is the perceived default. However, a queer reading can transform the closet from a site of shameful hiding into a powerful site of deliberate subterfuge, allowing for the revelation of a concealed queer narrative beneath the surface of the text. The entire structure of the classic Bollywood family melodrama depends on the maintenance of this closet.

2. Queer Readings, Power, and the Diaspora (Foucault and Gopinath)

Michel Foucault’s analysis of power dynamics and knowledge production helps illuminate how traditional cinematic portrayals in Bollywood reinforce heteronormative power structures and perpetuate the Othering of LGBTQ+ individuals. By depicting queer characters as deviations from the norm or as threats to the social order, Hindi cinema perpetuates the idea that heterosexuality is both default and superior. Furthermore, the seemingly peripheral queer spaces—such as a brothel or a female-only space—within mainstream Indian cinema can be read as Foucauldian heterotopias—counter-sites that simultaneously represent, contest, and invert the real societal norms found within the culture.

Gayatri Gopinath’s scholarship is central to analyzing queer Bollywood, particularly through her concept of the Queer Diasporic Viewing Frame. Gopinath argues that cinematic images which, in their originary Indian context, simply reiterate conventional, nationalist, and gender ideologies, may be re-fashioned to become the foundation of a queer transnational subjectivity when viewed by a queer diasporic audience. This frame allows for a subversive reading of traditionally homosocial relationships (like intense male bonding, or yaarana) as homoerotic. This act of queering allows non-heteronormative characters to appropriate traditional cultural frames to resist being silenced.

III. The Pre-Millennial Closet (1970s–1990s): Coded Invisibility 

Prior to the new millennium, Bollywood navigated same-sex desire primarily through coding, comedy, and outright villainy. This cinematic era was heavily constrained by the colonial-era Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality, a law that enforced a culture of postcolonial amnesia regarding non-normative traditions.

1. Homosociality and the Coded Gaze

Traditional Bollywood often privileged narratives of intense male bonding (dosti or yaarana), which can be read with a "hyper-romantic flare". In films like Zanjeer (1973), the cop-turned-vigilante Vijay and Sher Khan's relationship is depicted with an intensity that transcends mere friendship. Literary critic Hoshang Merchant suggests that in many early films, the female lead is often present only to lessen the homosexual sting of the central male bond. These subtexts demonstrate the pervasive function of Sedgwick's epistemology of the closet in action, where the physical closeness and emotional intensity between men is permissible only as long as it is not explicitly named as desire.

2. The Use of Performativity for Comic Relief and Villainy

The temporary disruption of the gender binary was typically exploited as a source of slapstick comedy. The convention of having male actors cross-dress (e.g., Rishi Kapoor in Rafoo Chakkar (1975) or Amitabh Bachchan in Laawaris (1981)) was common. Queer theory highlights how these cross-dressing scenes momentarily destabilize the gender binary, even if the scene’s climax typically involves the actor stripping off the drag to display their "macho virility" and restore heterosexual order. This process serves the other  non-normative by making it ridiculous and temporary.

The third gender (hijra or transgender individuals) was the most visible non-normative representation, but almost always reduced to a flat, negative stereotype. They were depicted either as figures of comic ridicule or, more sinisterly, as dangerous antagonists. For example, the transgender character in Sadak (1991) is depicted as completely evil, reinforcing negative societal prejudices and contributing to the community's marginalization within the cinematic landscape.

3. The Rupture of Fire (1996)

Deepa Mehta's Fire (1996) represents a critical landmark and a moment of rupture in Indian queer  cinema. It was one of the first films to explicitly depict a lesbian relationship in a mainstream context, portraying the love between two sisters-in-law, Radha and Sita, who find companionship amidst patriarchal loneliness and neglect. The film was highly controversial and faced protests by Hindu fundamentalists, leading to bans. Fire is a powerful example of queer-feminist critique because it challenged patriarchy by presenting a space where women’s sexual desire existed independently of and in opposition to male authority, thus "disrupting the comfort levels of the so-called regular, family lives". The subsequent backlash led to public dialogue around sexuality and civil rights, spurring the formation of the lesbian rights group, the Campaign for Lesbian Rights (CALERI), which held peaceful gatherings across India.

IV. The Post-Millennial Repertoire (2000s–2018): Explicit Visibility 

The 2000s saw an increase in queer visibility, propelled by a globalizing Indian diaspora, shifting urban attitudes, and the emergence of an independent cinema circuit that consciously produced queer-identified films.

1. Comic Misunderstandings and Homophobic Plot Devices

The mainstream industry’s initial attempts at incorporating queer themes utilized same-sex desire as a plot device for comedy, centering on the misunderstanding of the closet. Films like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Dostana (2008) exemplify this problematic trend.

• In Dostana (2008), the entire humor rests on the shocked realization of the parental figures and the characters' eventual return to heterosexual pursuits. Critics noted that such portrayals did nothing but fuel hatred and mock homosexual rights, relying on reductive stereotypes of gay characters whose life goal is reduced to hitting on strangers. The portrayal of same-sex attraction in these films is regulated by the dominant discourse of heteronormativity.

2. Independent and Activist Cinema: Centring Dignity and Intersectionality

In stark contrast, the independent film circuit focused on providing sensitive, realistic, and humanizing portraits of the community. These films often highlighted the intersectionality of queer identity with other social challenges like illness, discrimination, and family rejection.

• My Brother...Nikhil (2005): Inspired by the life of an AIDS activist, this film was pathbreaking for its measured script detailing the systemic prejudice faced by a swimming champion diagnosed with HIV, offering a positive portrayal of support from his sister and his boyfriend, Nigel. The film was significant in opening the door for future LGBTQ+ films.

• Aligarh (2015): Directed by Hansal Mehta, this powerful biographical drama is based on the true story of a professor suspended for his sexual orientation. The film effectively explores the intersectionality of the protagonist’s marginalized status as a gay man with his low social class within the academic hierarchy. Aligarh focused less on the character’s sexual life and more on his dignity and loneliness, ultimately garnering positive reviews from the media and the LGBTQ+ community.

• Margarita with a Straw (2014): This film added a layer of disability to the queer text, giving a dignified portrayal of a bisexual woman with cerebral palsy on a journey of sexual and self-discovery, demonstrating that the protagonist is not dependent on able-bodied people.

     

3. Expanding the Queer Text: Celebrity and Homo-textuality

Beyond the film text itself, scholars like Pawan Singh argue that the idea of Queer Bollywood must expand to include celebrity gossip and talk shows as discursive sites for the mining of queer meanings. Celebrity culture, particularly in talk shows like Koffee with Karan, proliferates homo-textuality and same-sex desire through witty innuendo and banter, even when the stars are straight or the film being promoted is conservative. This celebrity discourse facilitates the staging of sexuality through the performative by making queer a part of popular, aspirational culture.

V. Normalization and Critique in Post-377 Bollywood (2019–Present) 

The watershed 2018 Supreme Court ruling that decriminalized homosexuality (striking down Section 377) prompted a swift paradigm shift in mainstream Bollywood. This new era is defined by films that focus on familial acceptance and the push to be "just like everyone else," aiming to normalize same-sex love while appealing to mass audiences.

1. The Mainstream Push for Acceptance

The post-377 films began to focus on individual rights and consciously portraying same-sex relationships as respectable and civil. These films represent a conscious effort to stage sexuality through the familial.

• Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019): This film was significant for casting a major star (Sonam Kapoor Ahuja) in the role of a lesbian woman. The narrative focuses heavily on the protagonist's journey of coming out to her conservative Punjabi family and centered the argument on the universal right to love and familial acceptance. The struggle is framed not just by sexual orientation but by societal expectations related to family honor.

• Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020): This gay romantic-comedy, featuring superstar Ayushmann Khurrana, was intentionally targeted for the average Indian homophobe. The film depicts the struggles of a gay couple to convince the partner’s family of their love, with the plot culminating in the patriarch's reluctant acceptance, who states he may not understand their love but wants them to live the life they desire.

• Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021): This film was significant for its portrayal of a trans woman as a romantic lead. While criticized for casting a cis woman, the film charts the evolution of the cis-male protagonist from initial visceral disgust upon learning his partner is a trans woman, to eventual acceptance and defense, thereby engaging directly with the complexities of gender identity and the social construction of womanhood.

   

2. The Critique of Homonormativity

While these mainstream films represent a massive leap in visibility, queer critics caution that this push for the "just like everyone else" narrative risks promoting homonormativity. Homonormativity refers to the assimilation of queer life into dominant heterosexual norms, often revolving around the sanctity of marriage, family, caste, and middle-class respectability.

• Films like Badhaai Do (2022), which features a lavender marriage (a marriage of convenience between a gay man and a lesbian woman), simultaneously criticizes the need for conformity while adhering to the strictures of caste and marital traditions. This highlights a tension in contemporary Bollywood: the fight for civil rights (like adoption) alongside the upholding of conservative family structures.

• Moreover, the drive towards hyper visibility often leads to a failure to delineate the specific distinctions between the diverse LGBTQ+ identities, resulting in a generalized, and sometimes flattened, representation of the community. The emphasis on respectability politics potentially silences the voices and experiences that do not conform to the idealized, assimilated, middle-class queer life.

VI. Conclusion 

The history of queer representation in Bollywood, when analyzed through the lens of Queer Theory, reveals a continuous and dynamic site of negotiation over desire, identity, and the moral boundaries of the nation’s cultural imagination. From the subtle, coded homosociality and outright comedic performativity of the closeted decades, to the ethical and necessary activist narratives of independent cinema, Bollywood has both reflected and influenced India’s shifting conversation on sexuality.

Today, the mainstream's pursuit of the "just like everyone else" visibility is a significant cultural marker, largely facilitated by the post-Section 377 legal landscape, as demonstrated by films like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. However, this shift mandates a careful queer-feminist critique to safeguard against the assimilationist risks of homonormativity. Future scholarship must continue to explore the intersectionality of queerness with caste, class, and religion, and analyze the expanding textuality of Bollywood that includes celebrity gossip and digital platforms. The sustained queer theoretical gaze on Bollywood remains essential not just for understanding cinema, but for documenting the fundamental struggle for sexual and gender dignity in contemporary India.

References

Advani, Nikhil, director. Kal Ho Naa Ho. Dharma Productions, 2003.

Agarwal, Charu. From Awareness to Acceptance: The Queering Of Bollywood, www.researchgate.net/profile/Dr-Kolanchery/publication/291164289_Global_English-Oriented_Research_Journal_GEORJDec_2015/links/569e7d0408ae4af525446f46/Global-English-Oriented-Research-Journal-GEORJ-Dec-2015.pdf#page=56. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Arora, Anupama, and Nikki P Sylvia. “Just like Everyone Else:” Queer Representation in Postmillennial Bollywood, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2023.2201398. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Bedi, Narender, director. Rafoo Chakkar. 1975.

Bhatt, Mahesh, director. Sadak. Vishesh Films, 1991.

Bose, Shonali, director. Margarita with a Straw. Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Ishan Talkies, 2014.

Dhar, Shelly Chopra, director. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. Vinod Chopra Films, 2019.

Kapoor, Abhishek, director. Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. T-Series Films, Guy in the Sky Pictures, 2021.

Kulkarni, Harshavardhan, director. Badhaai Do. Junglee Pictures, 2022.

Mansukhani, Tarun, director. Dostana. Dharma Productions, 2008.

Mehra, Prakash, director. Laawaris. 1981.

Mehra, Prakash, director. Zanjeer. Asha Studios, Chandivali Studio, Filmistan Studio, R.K. Studios, Swati Studios, 1973.

Mehta, Deepa, director. Fire. Kaleidoscope Entertainment, Trial by Fire Films, 1996.

Mehta, Hansal, director. Aligarh. Eros International, Karma Pictures, 2015.

Onir, director. My Brother...Nikhil. Four Front Films, 2005.

Prasanna, R. S., director. Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. Colour Yellow Productions, Eros International, 2017.

Singh, Pawan. Queer Bollywood: The Homotextuality of Celebrity Talk Show Gossip, cinema.usc.edu/spectator/34.1/3_Singh.pdf. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

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