In telling the story of two queer protagonists who settle for a marriage of convenience, Badhaai Do deftly handles myriad subjects — from celebrating queer love to championing adoption for same-sex couples. But to Bhumi Pednekar, the film is about equality above all else. “I would not say Badhaai Do is about lavender marriage. That is the film’s set-up. The movie is about two queer persons trying to live in a society that is not equal,” she begins.

Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s directorial venture sees the actor as Suman, a closeted lesbian entering a lavender marriage with Rajkummar Rao’s gay cop. Through her measured performance, Pednekar shows the suppression and suffocation that members of the LGBTQiA+ community endure in a society that unfortunately makes them feel othered. “When you are going through this experience [of feeling unequal], you question a lot of things. I have a lot of friends who belong to the LGBTQiA+ community. I have seen their ups and downs, nights where they cried themselves to sleep. It’s a lonely journey. It’s not easy living a life where you have to lie in front of the people you love the most. It’s not easy living a life where you feel like you don’t fit in.”

The actor approached her character with sensitivity, imbuing her with dignity and determination to fight for her right. “We have always seen a lesbian woman in a singular light. So, for starters, the biggest challenge was not to stereotype her. Secondly, I did not want her to be bitter at all. Her life has been tough, but I didn’t want the bitterness to come into my performance. I wanted her to be somebody sweet who is yearning for a better life. All she wants is acceptance from the people she loves. So, the process of becoming Suman was internal.”

After playing an intense role, one can’t walk away from it without being affected to some degree. Pednekar agrees it shifted her perspective. “Playing a queer character changed my soul a little. I have gone from being sympathetic to having a lot more empathy.”