Bombay's first international gay film festival triumphs

by David NiceTuesday, 27 April 2010

Everything happens so quickly in India. It seems like only yesterday that homosexuality was legalised; and now Bombay has just hosted the first Kashish-Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. As one of its very literary organisers pointed out, his country used to be so open to all forms of worship and sensuality; it's the home of the Kama Sutra, after all. It was time to reclaim gay love, he said, and give Indians of all kinds the chance to learn about it through the farthest-reaching medium. And it worked - even if many younger folk had to tell their parents they were 'just off to see a film'. Not a Bollywood mainstream number, that's for sure.

Explore topics

Share this article

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

Help to give theartsdesk a future! Support our GoFundMe appeal

The Fifth Step, Soho Place review - wickedly funny two-hander about defeating alcoholism David Ireland pits a sober AA sponsor against a livewire drinker, with engaging results

Mr Swallow: Show Pony, Richmond Theatre review - magic tricks and mayhem Nick Mohammed gives his creation's origin story

Josefowicz, LSO, Mälkki, Barbican review - two old favourites and one new one Julia Perry well worth her place alongside Stravinsky and Bartók

The Great Escape Festival 2025, Brighton review - a feast of music from across the world Hitting Saturday shows by deBasement, Dog Race, Chloe Leigh, Oh Dirty Fingers & more

Parsifal, Glyndebourne review - the music flies up, the drama remains below Incandescent singing and playing, but the production domesticates the numinous

The Bombing of Pan Am 103, BBC One review - new dramatisation of the horrific Lockerbie terror attack Six-part series focuses on the families and friends of the victims

Ballet to Broadway: Wheeldon Works, Royal Ballet review - the impressive range and reach of Christopher Wheeldon's craft The title says it: as dancemaker, as creative magnet, the man clearly works his socks off

Album: Robert Forster - Strawberries The former Go-Betweens linchpin celebrates life’s quirks and temptations

Music Reissues Weekly: Chapterhouse - White House Demos What the shoegazers were up to before they were categorised as shoegazers

Songlines Encounters, Kings Place review - West African and Anatolian magic Setting the scene for a weekend of close musical encounters from across the globe

The Deep Blue Sea, Theatre Royal Haymarket review - Tamsin Greig honours Terence Rattigan The 1952 classic lives to see another day in notably name-heavy revival

Follow @theartsdesk