In recent years, Indian cinema and OTT platforms have begun taking progressive strides towards portraying the LGBTQ+ community with more authenticity and empathy. While there’s still a long road ahead, several Indian actors, across generations and industries, have embraced queer roles. They have been breaking stereotypes and challenging societal norms. From veterans to new-age stars, here’s a look at actors who’ve made a mark by portraying queer characters on screen.
10 Actors Who Portrayed Queer Characters With Finesse On The Big Screen
Akshay Oberoi – Inside Edge Season 3
In Inside Edge Season 3, Akshay Oberoi’s character comes out as gay, a revelation that adds layers to his personality and narrative arc. Portraying a closeted athlete in a hyper-masculine environment, Oberoi tackled the complexities of identity and internal conflict with a quiet, dignified intensity. His performance added emotional depth to a show primarily known for its high-octane drama.
Kubbra Sait — Sacred Games
Kubbra Sait’s portrayal of Kukoo, a transgender woman and nightclub performer in Sacred Games, broke ground for LGBTQ+ visibility in Indian streaming content. She brought raw vulnerability and fierce authenticity to the role, portraying Cuckoo’s relationship with gangster Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) with grace and depth. Her performance was widely praised for breaking clichés and humanising a trans character in mainstream media.
Rajkummar Rao – Badhaai Do
Rajkummar Rao stunned audiences with his restrained and powerful performance as a gay police officer in Badhaai Do. The film explored the idea of a lavender marriage between a gay man and a lesbian woman to appease societal pressures. Rao’s commitment to portraying queer vulnerability without caricature was widely praised, marking a major milestone in mainstream Bollywood storytelling.
Ayushmann Khurrana – Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
Ayushmann Khurrana took a bold leap with Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, a romantic comedy centred around a gay couple. Playing Kartik, a confident, unapologetic gay man who challenges conservative attitudes, Khurrana’s portrayal was both entertaining and pioneering. He used his stardom to amplify queer narratives, sparking important conversations among Indian audiences.
Gulshan Devaiah – Badhaai Do
Also seen in Badhaai Do, Gulshan Devaiah plays a potential love interest for Rajkummar Rao’s character. In a brief yet impactful role, Devaiah’s charm and sincerity left a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of normalized queer representation in Bollywood.
Lisa Mishra – The Royals
Singer-turned-actress Lisa Mishra recently worked in the series The Royals, where she plays a queer character navigating the world of high society and royal legacy. Her inclusion in this list speaks volumes about the growing diversity of queer stories being explored in Indian OTT content.
Sonam Kapoor – Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
Sonam Kapoor starred in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, one of the first mainstream Bollywood films to feature a lesbian protagonist. Portraying a young woman struggling to come out to her conservative family, Sonam delivered a gentle, heartfelt performance. It helped normalize queer identity within a family-oriented narrative.
Vaani Kapoor – Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui
In Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Vaani Kapoor played a transgender woman with dignity and sensitivity. The film tackled themes of love, acceptance, and gender identity. Vaani’s portrayal was widely commended for its sincerity, even as the film invited dialogue around the importance of trans representation by trans actors.
Sharmila Tagore – Gulmohar
Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore made a graceful comeback in Gulmohar. She portrayed a queer matriarch who finally lives her truth in her twilight years. Her quiet assertion of her identity, delivered with her signature poise, made a strong statement about queer stories not being limited to youth or rebellion.
Madhuri Dixit – Maja Ma
Madhuri Dixit surprised many with her role in Maja Ma. She played a middle-aged woman who comes out as a lesbian to her family. In a society that often sidelines the sexuality of older women, Dixit’s portrayal brought nuance to the character’s internal journey. It balanced social expectations with self-acceptance.
Anshuman Jha – Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele
In Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele, Anshuman Jha plays a gay man embarking on an unexpected road trip with a lesbian woman. It explored themes of friendship, acceptance, and chosen family. Jha’s understated, sensitive portrayal adds to the emotional core of the film, celebrating queer companionship beyond romantic clichés.
Manoj Bajpayee — Aligarh
Manoj Bajpayee delivers a haunting, deeply affecting performance as Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras in Aligarh. Based on a true story, the film follows a professor who is suspended from Aligarh Muslim University after being outed in a sting operation. Bajpayee’s restrained, soulful portrayal captures the pain, dignity, and solitude of a man forced to defend his identity in an unforgiving world. It remains one of Indian cinema’s most poignant depictions of real-life queer tragedy.
Let us know in the comments below which character was your favourite.
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