The good news is that the LGBTQiA+ community is finally getting a seat at the table. The bad news is that it  comes after decades of suppression and being othered. Rajkummar Rao’s next, Badhaai Do, shows one of the less-explored struggles of queer love on screen —lavender marriage. “It’s sad that even in the 21st century, people are not getting the freedom to live the way they want to. Being gay is a [big] part of their identity, not their [whole] identity. Their sexual preference is none of our concern,” he begins.

Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s directorial venture sees Rao and Bhumi Pednekar’s characters, who have yet to come out of the closet, settle for a marriage of convenience to appease their family. Through the film, the team holds a mirror up to society’s intolerant ways. “Lavender marriage is not the ideal situation to be in, but they get into it because of family pressure. I hope there won’t be any more lavender marriages. I hope our society becomes way more acceptable than it is,” asserts the actor.

One look at Rao’s filmography and it’s evident that there is little he can’t do justice to. But he admits that playing a gay cop in the social comedy required him to be mindful and responsible, every step of the way. “I understand my responsibility because I am representing somebody from the LGBTQiA+ community. We tried hard to ensure that we don’t hurt anybody’s sentiments. The script was written after a lot of research. [Members of] the community were involved [in the scripting] and would give feedback. Harsh was my go-to guy for everything.”

The role also demanded him to bulk up — a process he thoroughly enjoyed. “I hit the gym for months. Being a vegetarian, it wasn’t easy [for me to beef up], but I enjoyed it.” The physical prep, however, paled in comparison to the emotional prep he had to undergo to become one with the character. “I have many friends who belong to the community. I have been speaking to them for years, and I understand the pressure. They go through immense pain because of family and societal pressure.”