The script for a film about a homosexual soldier in the Indian Army has been rejected by the defense ministry. Onir’s a national award-winning director, said his script was “extremely respectful of the army” and not a “salacious plot,” but was rejected because it depicted a homosexual soldier. His script was inspired by a now two-year-old NDTV interview of a gay Major who resigned from the Army.
He was saddened that he could show homosexuality and police abuse of gay characters even when homosexuality was criminalized, but now his film is being stopped at the plot level even after the Supreme Court has legalized same-sex relations, and the plot is also influenced by something that is already in the public domain, he said, referring to his 2010 anthology “I Am,” which won two national awards.
Major J Suresh (Retired), whose interview was the inspiration for the film, believes the government should reconsider its position on this matter. He stated that the military must keep up with the times and review its rules to ensure that it does not commit injustice since it “is not recognized for that.”
75 years of independence, more than three years since he Supreme Court of india had decriminalised homosexuality but as a society we are a long way from being treated as equals . While 56 countries across the world accepts #lgbtqi in the army ,it is still illegal the indian army. https://t.co/YboPeAUnqK
— iamOnir (@IamOnir) January 21, 2022
The military ministry wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification in July 2020, requesting that production studios receive a “no objection certificate” from the ministry before airing any film, documentary, or web series with an Army subject.
Any film, television program, or online series that contains anything about the armed services must first obtain authorization from the Ministry of Defence, failing which it will not be certified. The director is contacting lawyers to determine the next steps but believes it is not his obligation as an independent filmmaker to go to court.
