‘Gulabi Aaina’ makes it to Netflix after 14 long years

The critically-acclaimed and award-winning drama film, Gulabi Aaina (The Pink Mirror), makes its way to Netflix after 14 years of struggle with the Censor Board. After being denied clearance three times by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the first Indian film to focus on transsexuals in India, is now available, uncensored, on Netflix for audiences worldwide.

The movie, the first one directed by filmmaker and gay activist Sridhar Rangayan, revolves around the attempts of two transwomen and a shy teenager’s attempts to seduce a man. The film uses Bollywood songs, dance and drama to explore other issues plaguing the LGBTQ community, including the ever-present threat of HIV/AIDS.

“The drama did not revolve around non-acceptance; it revolved around acceptance,” says Rangayan. “The then Board said that the movie was vulgar and too intimate for the Indian audience, even though it did not have any nudity or love-making. No cuts were recommended either — it was a straight ‘No’. Making a film on the LGBTQ community back in 2003 was a big thing. We are happy that we were at least able to make a film that addressed the community,” Rangayan adds.

The Censor board’s disapproval did not affect the cast and crew. “The film travelled across the globe and was screened at over 75 festivals. There are books written about it and it has been included in the curriculum of film schools.”

Speaking about the new lease of life it will get through Netflix, Sridhar says, “For all those movies which have been disapproved because of sensitivity, this platform allows us to showcase our art with a freedom of expression. Yet, the feeling of your movie being showcased in a theatre is something else; we hope the censor board gets more progressive.”

About the film

The film stars Edwin Fernandes and Ramesh Menon as the drag queens Shabbo and Bibbo. 

While Fernandes passed away last year, the other two lead actors are thrilled about this news. “It was my first movie. The first time I faced a camera. It was a beautiful experience and I was disheartened when the Censor did not pass it,” says Ramesh Menon.

Rishi Raj, who played the Westernized gay teenager Mandy, says, “We are very glad that our movie has finally found its place on an Indian platform. It has been a long journey; I was just a 19-year-old then.”