Indian cinema and OTT space have gradually opened their arms to queer narratives, no longer relegating them to the margins. And with powerful coming-out stories and nuanced portrayals of identity, they gave us several memorable queer characters who left an indelible mark on the audience.
Kukoo in Sacred Games
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Played by: Kubbra Sait
The breakout Netflix series Sacred Games gave us Kukoo, a transgender cabaret performer and the tragic muse to gangster Ganesh Gaitonde. Kubbra Sait’s performance brought poignancy to a character that could easily have been reduced to a trope. Kukoo was magnetic, vulnerable, and unforgettable. Despite limited screen time, her portrayal leaves a lasting impact for humanising a marginalised identity with grace.
Meher Chaudhry in Made in Heaven Season 2
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Played by: Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju
A real-life trans rights activist and doctor, Trinetra made her acting debut as Meher Chaudhry, a trans woman navigating the glitzy yet hypocritical world of Delhi weddings in the second season of Prime Video’s Made In Heaven. Skilled in organising lavish weddings and commanding respect at work, she also grapples with societal bias and the challenge of finding love in Delhi’s dating scene. Her presence isn’t token; her arc delves into the vulnerability of a trans woman seeking acceptance. Her portrayal was grounded, honest, and refreshingly free of stereotype.
Imran Ansari in Paatal Lok
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Played by: Ishwak Singh
While the first season of Prime Video’s crime thriller series Paatal Lok introduced us to Imran Ansari as a morally upright cop facing systemic bias because of his religion, the second season gives us a peek into his personal life, subtly letting the audience know that he is gay. His quiet defiance of the toxic systems around him and his nuanced camaraderie with the show's lead inspector Hathiram (Jaideep Ahlawat) opened doors for deeper conversations about coded queerness and emotional repression in patriarchal structures.
Shardul Thakur and Sumi Singh in Badhaai Do
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Played by: Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar
In Badhaai Do, Rajkummar Rao plays Shardul, a closeted gay cop, and Bhumi Pednekar plays Sumi, a lesbian PE teacher. The two enter into a lavender marriage due to the pressures of a conservative society. The marriage, a facade for the society, allowed them to lead their lives with their respective romantic partners without inhibitions. Their journey, peppered with humour and heartache, offered an empathetic portrayal of the struggles and small victories of queer Indians.
Mathew Devassy in Kaathal: The Core
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Played by: Mohanlal
In Kaathal: The Core, Mohanlal slips into the skin of Mathew Devassy, a retired politician whose domestic life is upended by a divorce petition filed by his wife — not for infidelity, but for his concealed sexuality. Mohanlal sheds his superstar image to embody a man battling decades of repression. It’s a performance carved in silences, in eyes that speak of shame, guilt and longing. As Mathew confronts his truth in a conservative Christian setting, Mohanlal lends him a quiet grace that never asks for sympathy but compels understanding.
Rahul Kapoor in Kapoor & Sons
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Played by: Fawad Khan
Years before Bollywood began actively championing queer stories, Kapoor & Sons slipped in a beautiful subplot about Rahul, a closeted gay writer. Fawad Khan played him with such subtlety and pathos that it added layers to what could have been a generic family drama. His character’s internal conflict resonated deeply with queer viewers who often hide behind a façade of perfection.
Manickam in Super Deluxe
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Played by: Vijay Sethupathi
In Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s genre-bending film Super Deluxe, Vijay Sethupathi delivered one of his career-best performances as Manickam aka Shilpa, a trans woman returning to her family after transitioning. The film doesn’t shy away from discomfort but embraces it, highlighting the complexities of acceptance, parenthood, and identity. Sethupathi’s transformation is both physical and emotional as he inhabits the role with striking restraint and dignity.
