For a long time, mainstream Hindi cinema treated queer identity as either a comedic stereotype or a tragic spectacle. Characters were written as exaggerated jokes or as figures meant solely to evoke pity. However, with social attitudes evolving and more filmmakers choosing to tell stories rooted in realism and empathy, Bollywood has slowly begun to present LGBTQ+ relationships with the nuance and emotional complexity they deserve.

Here are five Hindi films that moved beyond clichés and offered thoughtful portrayals of queer experiences—messy, intimate, and deeply human.

1. Aligarh (2016)

Directed by Hansal Mehta

Aligarh is not framed as a conventional love story—it is instead a quiet, deeply affecting reflection on privacy, dignity, and the right to one’s interior life. Inspired by the real case of Professor Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, who was suspended because of his sexual orientation, the film focuses on how Siras (played with haunting fragility by Manoj Bajpayee) longs for an ordinary life—listening to old film songs, sipping whisky, and existing without scrutiny.

The connection between Siras and journalist Deepu (Rajkummar Rao) is portrayed with subtle emotional resonance rather than labels. The film’s power lies in its refusal to sensationalize; instead, it invites the audience to simply witness a man’s humanity.

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2. Badhaai Do (2022)

Directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni

At the heart of Badhaai Do is the idea of a lavender marriage—when a gay man and a lesbian woman marry to avoid societal pressure. Rajkummar Rao (as Shardul) and Bhumi Pednekar (as Suman) bring depth and vulnerability to characters who are navigating both family expectations and their own emotional lives.

The film portrays the arrangement not as deception but as a complex survival strategy. While there are humorous moments, the core remains tender: two people learning to support one another while slowly building room for authenticity. The film’s strength is its recognition that “coming out” in India is not a single event but a layered, ongoing negotiation with family, community, and self.

3. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)

Directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar

Though gentle in tone, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga was significant simply because it centered a queer love story between two women in a mainstream family drama format. The film frames Sweety’s (Sonam Kapoor Ahuja) journey not as a challenge to society at large, but as a deeply personal struggle to be understood by her own family.

The film focuses on the emotional stakes—fear of rejection, longing for acceptance, and the courage to speak honestly. Instead of spotlighting romance, it emphasizes the emotional cost of silence, urging families to choose empathy over judgement.

4. Margarita With A Straw (2014)

Directed by Shonali Bose

Margarita With A Straw remains one of Hindi cinema’s most layered explorations of intimacy, disability, and sexuality. Kalki Koechlin plays Laila, a bisexual teenager with cerebral palsy, with extraordinary sensitivity. The narrative neither romanticizes nor victimizes her; instead, it follows her as she experiments, makes mistakes, desires, learns, and reclaims her agency.

Her relationship with Khanum (Sayani Gupta), a visually impaired activist, is portrayed with tenderness and emotional ambiguity. The film’s focus on self-discovery makes it deeply relatable and quietly revolutionary.

5. Ajeeb Daastaans – Geeli Pucchi (2021)

Segment directed by Neeraj Ghaywan

Perhaps one of the most striking LGBTQ+ portrayals in recent years, Geeli Pucchi weaves sexuality and caste into an intricate portrait of desire, power, and betrayal. Konkona Sen Sharma (as Bharti) delivers a restrained yet blistering performance as a factory worker who forms a deeply charged emotional connection with Priya (Aditi Rao Hydari), a soft-spoken upper-caste woman.

Their intimacy unfolds not through declarations, but through glances, pauses, shared meals, and unspoken recognition. The heartbreak emerges from reality itself: the forces of class and privilege that dictate who is allowed to choose love freely—and who is not.

Final Thoughts

While representation in Hindi cinema still has a long way to go, these films mark an important shift—away from stereotypes and toward stories grounded in emotional truth. They remind us that LGBTQ+ characters are not symbols or spectacles, but people navigating love, identity, and belonging, just like anyone else.