#there's a lot of stuff thats available online for free with subs so i highly suggest you try some!
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Queer Indian Media: A Compilation
A couple of days ago, @impala124 sent @lurkingshan an ask about the lack of discussion about Queer Indian Media in fandom spaces. I wrote about it here, @neuroticbookworm here, and @waitmyturtles here (both of them have excellent points, I highly recommend you read their posts!). It's become quite apparent that people are willing to watch and engage in discourse about queer Indian media, it's just that the lack of popularity and accessibility makes it harder for people to start. So, I've decided to make a list tracking all of the queer Indian media I know of, and hopefully also any meta/discourse about it, which is an idea I've had floating in my head for months now.
This list is by no means comprehensive, so if you have recs, send them my way! Text me on DM, send an ask, tag me in your posts, whatever. And though it's not possible for me to watch everything on the list, I will be slowly going through as many of these as I can and writing about them, as well as hopefully finding more stuff and easier to access versions for the ones that are harder to access right now. This post is going to be a slow work in progress, but I'm hoping to update it regularly. So, if you'd like me to keep you updated, let me know through the tags/replies and I will tag you in future posts!
I've tagged the people who've recommended certain shows alongside each show. Everything on here is available online. The hyperlinked titles lead you to the media itself, meaning that it's available for free online with subtitles. Other details will be mentioned separately.
Disclaimer: The media I have watched/read have recommendation ratings (which will not always reflect my enjoyment of something, rather are based on how much I'd recommend it). While I did lightly screen everything on here, the criteria was 'has a trailer or otherwise showing queerness to be a central theme in the story' and 'is available online', so take that into account if you decide to pick something up, and definitely watch trailers and/or skim the wikipedia pages beforehand.
Movies
Fire | English | @neuroticbookworm
Recommendation: 8.75/10 A 1996 movie surrounding a lesbian couple packed with commentary on religion, class, purity culture and more. Quick Pitch + Historical Context
Kapoor & Sons | Hindi | @neuroticbookworm
Available on Netflix, Prime, and paid on Youtube and Apple TV
Kaathal-The Core | Malayalam | @neuroticbookworm
Officially on Prime, also available grey without subtitles
Meta by @ineffable-opinions
Super Deluxe | Tamil | @neuroticbookworm
Officially on a paid streaming service called aha, grey on youtube
Dear Dad | Hindi | @neuroticbookworm
Geeli Puchi (Ajeeb Dastaans) | Hindi | @blorbingqls @neuroticbookworm
Available on Netflix
Cobalt Blue @blorbingqls
Officially on Netflix, also available grey without subtitles
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga | Hindi | @fallsouthwinter @usertoxicyaoi @neuroticbookworm
Available officially on Netflix, but can also be found grey in two parts without subtitles
Recommendation: 8.5/10 What seems like a typical bollywood movie about a man falling in love with a girl who's family opposes their marriage takes a turn halfway through when it is revealed that the girl has a secret girlfriend. The protagonist then resolves to help the pair by convincing the family to accept them.
Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish | Bengali | @silverquillsideas @neuroticbookworm
I believe it's available on prime, but you might need to do some digging. Also available grey on youtube without subtitles (the movie is in part Bengali, part English)
Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan | Hindi | @silverquillsideas @twig-tea @neuroticbookworm
Officially on Amazon, grey on youtube without subtitles
Maja Ma | Hindi | @flyingrosebeetle @silverquillsideas
Available on Amazon Prime
Badhaai Do | Hindi
Officially on Netflix, available grey without subtitles
Loev | Hindi
Available on youtube with Spanish (I think?) subtitles
Margarita With A Straw | Hindi
I believe this is a cut version, it is officially on Netflix which is likely the uncut version
Recommendation: 9/10 A self-discovery story about an Indian woman named Laila with cerebral palsy with great rep and beautiful execution. Meta by @wen-kexing-apologist
Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui | Hindi | anon
Available grey without subtitles, officially on Netflix
Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani | Hindi | @flowerbeasblog @aneechan
Officially on Jio Cinema, also available grey without subtitles
Time Out | Hindi
Available on Netflix
My Brother…Nikhil | Hindi
My Son Is Gay | Tamil
Hindi dub available on youtube without subtitles
Little Hearts | Malayalam | @ineffable-opinions
Available officially on Amazon Prime
There's multiple storylines, one of which is queer Meta by @ineffable-opinions
Moothon | Malayalam | @non-beingnary
This is grey on youtube without subtitles, it's officially on Amazon Prime and Zee5, both need subscriptions
Aligarh | Hindi | @ayoungroyal
This is grey with subtitles, it says the subtitles are in hindi for some reason but they're actually in English. Officially on several subscription platforms: JioCinema, Zee5, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Sisak | Hindi | @blorbingqls
Shows
Romil and Jugal | Hindi | @anixknowsnothin
You do need a vpn if you're outside India to watch it with the above link, it's also grey on youtube without subtitles
Recommendation: 8.5/10 India's modern gay remake of Romeo and Juliet, five years before Bad Buddy Random thoughts
The Married Woman | Hindi | @a-not-knowing-bisexual-wizard
Dev DD Season 2 | Hindi
Legitimately no clue whether this and the prev are grey or official
Made in Heaven | Hindi | @flyingrosebeetle @non-beingnary @neuroticbookworm
Available on Prime
All About Section 377, Still About Section 377 | Hindi
The Story Tales S2 | Gujrati
Insomnia | Hindi
It's a streaming service I've never heard of before, not unlike Gaga, this is one of the darker shows on the list so please do check out the trailer beforehand
Amra 2GayTher | Bengali
Available on two streaming services here and here, both paid
Happy Family, Conditions Apply | Hindi | @non-beingnary
Officially on Amazon Prime, first episode available for free on the official youtube
As far as I know, it's a sitcom with a queer subplot, but I'm not sure how relevant it is to the story
Murder In Mahim | Hindi | @soberbutsleepless
This is grey without subtitles, its available officially on JioCinema but you need a subscription
Mini gls from @twig-tea (og post here)
Firsts S3 | @tinyreadinglifelight
Neverland
Maaya 2
Last two eps do not have subtitles but the story is followable
The ‘Other’ Love Story @/silverquillsideas
Just Another Love Story
Books
Memory of Light
Recommendation: 5/10 A historical book set during the colonial era, the lesbian romance is mostly a subplot that loses its way towards the end. It's kind of a drag, but the history component is somewhat interesting.
Don't Let Him Know
Recommendation Rating: 7.5/10 with serious trigger warnings including rape. It's a brutally honest book designed to make the reader uncomfortable, so proceed with caution. I personally liked it quite a lot, but that's majorly because of how authentic the book felt.
Falling Into Place
Recommendation Rating: 8/10 A modern lesbian romance that follows similar beats to the typical thai bl/gl. A little underdeveloped in some places, but overall quite good.
My Magical Palace
Cobalt Blue
The Paths Of Marriage
Marriage Of A Thousand Lies
#i have spent an inane number of hours on this post#but i enjoyed it so much#even got a little emotional#there's a lot of stuff thats available online for free with subs so i highly suggest you try some!#if you're hesitant to try something new go off of my recs#i know the structure could be better sue me#bookworm and turtles both mentioned in their posts that integrating indian media into queer media fandom spaces#would be a bit like an experiment#well this is going to be my contibution (and hopefully the catalyst to some of you joining in)#queer indian media#media recs#movie recs#queer movies#asian dramas#indian shows#bollywood#desiblr#asian lgbtq dramas#asian media#indian media
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