I’m very happy to be someone who was in the initial phase of the evolution of the film industry. There has always been an audience for these stories but now, there’s more awareness. It was so surprising when a few years ago, a girl came up to me and said, ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) was my gay awakening’. It made me feel so happy that my role had actually impacted a set of people.

A lot of people were scared of and said no to playing the queer character in Margarita With A Straw (2014) that I eventually did. Not doing a part like this is pure dumb. I did not care about the acceptance of the audience — I did it because it was a good part and a great script. The younger and even the older generation are becoming much more aware, open and inclusive now. Cut to 2023, people have become way more accepting and I believe my character in the film contributed to it.

In Badhaai Do (2022), I was just sincere and honest with the script, and it impacted the audience in a way. For instance, I was in Dehradun (after Badhaai Do), and coincidentally, Raj (Rajkummar Rao) was, too. So many times, elderly women would come to us to appreciate the film and say that we made a great couple on screen. We underestimate our society. It really depends on how things are communicated to people.

The Indian audience is also understanding that it is much more beyond sex. Indian cinema, too, has also evolved in showcasing LGBTQIA+ stories with sensitive representation of characters. As opposed to earlier, when queer characters would be comic devices, now, it is more real and in-depth. The gay characters Ranveer (Brar, chef) and I played in Modern Love Mumbai were not at all typical. They were instead very simple and true to their own selves. The LGBTQIA+ community are our own and don’t need to be spelled out differently. The way Manzu (his character) stood for himself and tried explaining to his family and the way he manoeuvred around it was very real. Pyaar sirf pyaar hota hai!

Shows and films can help impact society and promote inclusivity. With the amount of content coming out and the exposure such stories and characters are getting, Indian audiences are surely watching. I’m glad that my character in Four More Shots Please! showcased very simply that queer people exist and that their stories deserve respect. It’s also important that the portrayal isn’t demeaning or caricature-ish.