Four More Shots Please actor Gagroo to play homosexual in digital show Abnormal 377, that charts the dissolution of the IPC law
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 21, 2019)

Taking a chip out of her last web show, Four More Shots Please — which saw co-actor Lisa Ray play a homosexual — Maanvi Gagroo is now set to essay the part of a lesbian in her next, Abnormal 377. The Zee5 show charts the journey of five petitioners who fought for the dissolution of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised consensual intercourse that was “against the order of nature”.

Given the crucial subject that the show touches upon, Gagroo said giving her nod to it was a no-brainer. “I didn’t even read the script before saying yes. I knew this was something I had to be a part of. I remember the joy I felt after the Supreme Court’s verdict that decriminalised Section 377 last year. It wasn’t a victory for the LGBTQ community only, but one for the entire country. This venture is about that.”

Apprehension about playing a lesbian holding little merit, Gagroo is only thankful for the experiences she acquired when playing a character of this nature. “The beauty of being an actor is that one gets to feel and experience things she may not otherwise have. This journey introduced me to a new world and helped me understand sexual preferences in a beautiful manner. It is not people’s sex that one is attracted towards. It is the person. Whether that person identifies as male or female is merely incidental. This film helped me understand that.”

Apart from getting acquainted with the struggles that the LGBTQ community faces when the realisation of their sexual orientation dawns on them, Gagroo also had friends belonging to the community that she could take inspiration from. “I’ve read a lot on gender neutrality, because I have a background in psychology. I love sinking my teeth into research material on human experiences,” Gagroo signs off.