Cinema has the power to change mindsets. It can literally eliminate taboos and social ills from the society. While masala entertainers or commercially successful films do have an upper hand, movies with sensitive subjects have been made in Bollywood and it has worked wonders. And as we celebrate Pride Month 2021 this June, I would like to talk about LGBTQ+ Hindi films that depicted the community in a right and realistic way. There have been many misses and a few hits when it comes to queer representation in India, but overall, some filmmakers have achieved in making the society less homophobic. Pride Month 2021: Jeffree Star Wishes Fans Happy Pride Month With Harvey Milk Quote ‘Hope Will Never Be Silent’.

So, here's a list of my popular Bollywood LGBTQ+ characters from the last decade that created an impact as well as showcased how homosexuals should not be a ‘just for laugh’ element on the screen. So, let’s get started. Pride Month 2021: Here Are a Few Pride Month Captions and Quotes Perfect For Your Next Instagram Post.

Kalki Koechlin in Margarita With A Straw

This amazing film dealt with two subjects at the same time, one, of course, is the LGBTQ+ premise and another one is cerebral palsy. The story showcased how a handicapped lesbian woman (Kalki Koechlin) after knowing her sexuality falls in love with another woman. The good, bad, dark, and many emotions through which Kalki’s Laila goes through in the flick are just so uniquely real to watch.

Fawad Khan in Kapoor & Sons

Up next we have, Shakun Batra’s film which tackled the subject of homosexuality in the right way and we fall in love with Fawad’s Rahul Kapoor. The movie flashed Khan’s struggle with himself and his family to come of the closet which was neatly presented without any mocking and zero drama. The movie literally led to positive conversations about the LGBTQ+ community that was unbelievable.

Manoj Bajpayee in Aligarh

Based on a real-life story of gay professor Ramchandra Siras at Aligarh Muslim University, this film showcased the plight of the LGBTQ+ community just for being themselves. Manoj as the central character is full of depth. Right from making out with a man on the screen to even bringing the right emotions on the celluloid, Bajpayee was at his best here. Pride Month 2021: Taylor Swift Wishes Fans With an Adorable Post, Singer Signs the #summerofequality Petition With GLAAD.

Jim Sarbh in Padmaavat

Jim Sarbh essayed the role of Malik Kafur in this Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. A slave of Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh), Jim’s portrayal of who can do anything and everything for his master was depicted quite well in the film. It’s said that the tyrant king was bisexual, and Jim and Ranveer’s master-slave relationship showed this in a beautiful way. There is a full song dedicated to them in the flick.

Sonam Kapoor in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

Last on our list is Sonam playing the role of Sweety in this lesbian love story. The premise of the movie is how Sweety one fine day confesses about her sexuality to her family who isn’t accepting enough. However, later the way she fights the society’s orthodox thoughts and comes out of the closet becomes the highlight of the film.

Ayushmann Khurrana in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Ayushmann Khurrana for the very first time played a gay character and nailed the act. He and his partner in the movie made us believe that love is love. Though there are character flaws in the movie, and not everything lands smoothly, but the actors make it work along with serving a message. P.S: there's a kissing scene between Ayushmann and Jitender Kumar too.

Konkana Sen Sharma in Geeli Pucchi 

Konkana Sen Sharma gave one of her career's best performances in Geeli Pucchi, part of Netflix's anthology Ajeeb Daastaans. She played the role of a lesbian Dalit worker at a factory who has the skills to grow but does not get the chance due to her caste. Amid this, she falls for her co-worker Aditi Rao Hydari. The emotions of love and betrayal are beautifully portrayed between the two along with the highlight being caste and queer story.

That’s it, guys! These are some of the popular LGBTQ+ characters from Hindi films from the last decade, who are different yet on the same journey on proving that love has no gender. In case you have not watched any of the films about, this pride month, do watch’em and add some rainbow to your lives. Stay tuned!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2021 07:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).