The Queer Gaze in Bollywood: A Study of LGBTQ+ Representation in the Film “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga”

Sourav Murasing

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i01.37287

The Queer Gaze in Bollywood: A Study of LGBTQ+ Representation in the Film “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga”

Author(s)	Sourav Murasing
Country	India
Abstract	Bollywood, India's dominant film industry, has long been criticized for marginalizing LGBTQ+ characters, often portraying them through harmful stereotypes or omitting them entirely. However, in recent years, there has been a shift toward more nuanced and respectful representations of LGBTQ+ identities. “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” (2019), directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar, plays a key role in this change. The film focuses on Sweety, a young woman navigating her lesbian identity in a society defined by heteronormative expectations. It explores her emotional journey toward self-acceptance and coming out, highlighting the challenges she faces from her family and society. This paper examines how “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” contributes to the emergence of the "queer gaze" in Bollywood—a perspective that challenges traditional portrayals of love and desire. Through a queer theoretical framework, the study explores how the film disrupts mainstream cinematic conventions and offers a more inclusive representation of LGBTQ+ individuals. It further investigates the film’s role in dismantling long-standing stereotypes about queerness in Indian cinema, moving away from tragic or exaggerated depictions toward authentic portrayals of queer lives. Ultimately, “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” is a pivotal film in Bollywood’s evolving approach to LGBTQ+ narratives. It offers a hopeful, transformative depiction of love that transcends gender and societal expectations, contributing to broader cultural acceptance and visibility of LGBTQ+ identities in India.
Keywords	Bollywood, LGBTQ+, stereotypes, heteronormative, queer gaze, gender
Field	Arts > Movies / Music / TV
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 1, January-February 2025
Published On	2025-02-18
Cite This	The Queer Gaze in Bollywood: A Study of LGBTQ+ Representation in the Film “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” - Sourav Murasing - IJFMR Volume 7, Issue 1, January-February 2025. DOI 10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i01.37287
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i01.37287
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g85stc

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The Queer Gaze in Bollywood: A Study of LGBTQ+ Representation in the Film “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga”

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