Category: Cinemascope

This image is a combination of a still from the 1974 film ‘Lamja Parshuram’ discussed in the accompanying article and text extracted from the article. The black and white still shows Thounaojam Nobin, a Sumang Leela artist, playing the character of a woman. In the still, Nobin, dressed in a shimmering saree and blouse with a necklace and an attractive hairdo, is facing the camera. They are smiling as they speak to another actor, a male character, facing away from the camera and looking at Nobin. The still is sub-titled with text that says: “Don’t you recognise me? Everybody knows me in Manipur.” Below the sub-title text in small print says: “Aribam Syam Sharma Archives”. A caption below the still says: “Thounaojam Nobin in Lamja Parshuram (1974)”. The accompanying text extract says: “It is a common saying among cinemagoers that films are mirrors of the society we live in. By this logic, films should accurately represent the diversity of peoples within our society. Given the significant presence of the queer communities in the state, examining their representation in Manipuri cinema becomes all the more important. This article aims to highlight queer representation in popular Manipuri cinema, tracing its evolution from 1974 to the present day.” Film still credit: Aribam Syam Sharma Archives

Cinemascope, Insight Feb '26

Queer portrayal in popular Manipuri cinema: A journey towards inclusivity

By Daniel Yumkham

Daniel Yumkham feels popular Manipuri cinema is at a crossroads with regard to queer representation

This graphic shows a poster made for the promotion of the film ‘Don’t Interrupt While We Dance’. On a scarlet red background, the name of the film in large stylized lettering in yellow and white is juxtaposed against the images of a gun and a dancing human figure, arms splayed. Several pairs of angry eyes symbolizing the damning eyes of the State or a repressive society, stare on in the backdrop, behind the lettering. The name of the filmmaker Anureet Watta is mentioned at the bottom of the poster. Poster design by Sharannya Eledath Mukherji and illustration by Yathaarth Yadav

Cinemascope, Insight Sep '24

How can we be gentle if we aren’t very angry?

By Anureet Watta

‘Don’t Interrupt While We Dance’ is a film about queer and trans joy interrupted by the State, police, and shadows of violence and scrutiny that have always been cast on...

Cinemascope, Vartanama Sep '23

Celebrating the queer gaze in Hindi cinema

By Debjyoti Ghosh

As ‘Varta’ turned 10 on August 1, 2023, Debjyoti Ghosh caught up with pioneering filmmaker Onir for a chat on his vision for queer empowerment in Hindi cinema and beyond

This graphic is a colourful collage of a number of film stills from the songs and films mentioned in the accompanying article. Clockwise from top left, there are stills from Aga Bai (Aiyyaa), Girls Like to Swing (Dil Dhadakne Do), Mann Kyon Mehka Ri Mehka (Utsav), Khwab Bankar Koi Ayega (Razia Sultan), Raat Akeli Hai (Jewel Thief), Haye Haye Yeh Majboori (Roti Kapada Aur Makaan) and Aga Bai (Aiyyaa) again. The collage is made of cuttings from computer printouts of the film stills. It is placed on an off-white background, with a few hand-drawn pastel sketches in black on the edges of the collage. On the top left, there is a sketch of an unspooling film reel, and at the bottom right, there is a sketch of a movie camera. Graphic credit: Souvik Rakshit

Cinemascope, Insight May '22

‘Aa jaane jaan . . .’

By Jia Mata, Lipikor

Jia Mata and Lipikor on portrayals of female desire in Bollywood films and songs

This illustration is a poster of the film ‘Gay India Matrimony’. On a deep-yellow background sprinkled with multi-coloured hearts and stars, the name of the film is presented in stylized text in English and Hindi inside a heart shape created by a wedding garland. The garland is white with patterns of green and red. Dangling from the lower end of the garland are the symbols for love between two women and between two men, and another that depicts transgender identity. The film credits are provided at the bottom of the poster in English and Hindi. Poster artwork credit: Abhro Banerjee

Cinemascope Apr '22

Queering the marriage story pitch

By Karthik Hebbar

Karthik Hebbar reviews 'Gay India Matrimony', a documentary film by Debalina, one of India’s most exciting queer filmmakers

This illustration shows a poster for the documentary film ‘Sab Rab De Bande’ made by first-time filmmaker Sukhdeep Singh. Photographs of three of the five interviewees in the film occupy the centre space in the poster. These interviewees are the filmmaker himself; Ritika, a transgender woman from Delhi; and Amolak, an androgynous gay man from Kanpur. The photographs, placed in a row, are in black and white and in contrast with an artistic blue and peach background. The lower part of the poster shows a graphic silhouette of what seems to be a religious congregation of Sikhs. Two symbols of Sikhism are placed on either side of the silhouette graphic. To the left is the Ek Onkar, which means one supreme reality; to the right is the Khanda, a symbol of Sikhism that is an amalgam of three symbols – ‘khanda’, a double-edged sword in the centre; ‘chakram’, a circular throwing weapon, behind the ‘khanda’; and two ‘kirpans’, single-edged swords placed on either side of the ‘khanda’ and ‘chakram’ and crossed at the bottom. The accompanying text on the poster says: “A film by Sukhdeep Singh – a documentary on LGBTQ Sikhs – Sab Rab De Bande – We’re All God’s Creation”. Poster courtesy Sukhdeep Singh

Cinemascope Jul '21

On being queer and Sikh in India

By Shivalal Gautam

‘Sab Rab De Bande’ is an impressive debut film on a sensitive subject by queer activist Sukhdeep Singh, says Shivalal Gautam

Cinemascope Jul '20

Living on in death

By Debjyoti Ghosh

Debjyoti Ghosh reviews Leonard Cortana’s short documentary 'Marielle’s Legacy Will Not Die'

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and quote. The photograph is a day time close shot of trans activist and first-time actor Sudeb, the focus of the accompanying article. Sudeb is wearing an attractive saree in shades of green, has light make up on and coiffed hair, and is standing on a balcony at the shooting location of a Bengali short film titled ‘Goodbye Beautiful’. This film is also the subject matter of the accompanying article. Sudeb has her right elbow on the balcony railing with the left hand placed lightly on the right forearm. She has a gentle smile as she looks on at the camera. The accompanying quote says: “In a way, all our lives are acting, isn’t it? Especially for queer people and trans men and trans women. What I am and what I have to do to survive have never been the same. I have often acted out a male role, performed the male gender required from me by family, employers, society. So, in a way I think I had the acting skills already. But it has been a new experience to ‘act’ on camera, to a film script.” Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Cinemascope, Insight Apr '19

All the world’s a stage, and an act

By Jia Mata

Jia Mata on a new short film that does not tick all the gender boxes in a conventional way

This graphic consists of pencil sketches on paper in caricature form of the faces of key actors from the films discussed in the accompanying article. The sketches are presented in two rows, one above the other. In the first row are Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan; in the second Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Bajpai. The background is made up of handwritten repeat text consisting of the names of the films – ‘Aligarh’, ‘Dangal’, ‘Dear Zindagi’, ‘Kahaani 2’, and ‘Pink’. The text is in all capitals but in small point size, and seems to form an intricate pattern on which the sketches of the faces are placed. Graphic credit: Shubhrajit Roy

Cinemascope, Insight Nov '17

Cinema, commerce and causes

By Nitin Karani

Campaigns to highlight different human rights issues are just past, ongoing or round the corner. Last year saw a spate of Bollywood films on many of these issues. How true...

Tagged Under: Cinemascope

Queer portrayal in popular Manipuri cinema: A journey towards inclusivity

How can we be gentle if we aren’t very angry?

Celebrating the queer gaze in Hindi cinema

‘Aa jaane jaan . . .’

Queering the marriage story pitch

On being queer and Sikh in India

Living on in death

All the world’s a stage, and an act

Cinema, commerce and causes

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