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Karan Johar’s memoir sparks homosexuality debate in India
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In An Unsuitable Boy, Karan Johar discusses his dull childhood growing up with weight issues in a luxurious neighborhood in Mumbai and his friendship with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan — but he does not explore his sexuality, in spite of being a role model to many and having the ability to influence the way people view the strict law on homosexuality in India. (Shutterstock/File)
K
aran Johar — a Bollywood movie director, owner of a successful production house, talk-show host and a distinguished symbol of Indian cinema — has caused a stir about homosexuality in India with the recent publication of his memoir, An Unsuitable Boy.
In the book, he writes about his sexuality: "Everybody knows what my sexual orientation is. I don't need to scream it out. If I need to spell it out, I won't only because I live in a country where I could possibly be jailed for saying this. Which is why I Karan Johar will not say the three words that possibly everybody knows about me.”
Co-authored by Poonam Saxena, the book’s title is the opposite to Vikram Seth’s number one bestseller A Suitable Boy. Being a writer in a country that outlaws same-sex relationships, Seth is known to use homosexuality as a theme in his novels to stand up and speak on behalf of the LGBTQIA community in India.
Johar’s memoir, on the other hand, plays things safe.
(Read also: Bangkok to hold first gay pride parade in 11 years)
In An Unsuitable Boy, Johar discusses his dull childhood growing up with weight issues in a luxurious neighborhood in Mumbai and his friendship with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan — but he does not explore his sexuality, in spite of being a role model to many and having the ability to influence the way people view the strict law on homosexuality in India.
Following the book’s release, activists and Twitter users in India have denounced him, pointing out that all he has done is make a joke out of the topic of being gay in his films and talk-shows and, now, his book. They showed disappointment toward Johar’s autobiography as he failed to open up about his sexuality boldly or in the way they expected him to.
Harish Iyer, a gay rights activist, said “It is undisputed that people in cinema have a greater capacity to mobilize people”, in response to Johar’s book, as quoted by The Quint.
(Read also: Spanish travel sector eyes gay market)
Apurva Asrani, one of Johar’s strongest critics, told BBC that she was “appalled” at the fact that he refrained from coming out. She described Johar’s prose on his sexuality as “regressive and cowardly”.
To reply to such criticism, Johar said: “I don't want to be dealing with the FIRs [police complaints]. I'm very sorry. I have a job, I have a commitment to my company, to my people who work for me; there are over a hundred people that I'm answerable to. I'm not going to sit in the courts because of ridiculous, completely bigoted individuals who have no education, no intelligence, who go into some kind of rapture for publicity.”
Isha Purkayashta, a journalist from The Quint, said: “In an ideal world, he would be Bollywood’s Ellen Degeneres... but he is not Ellen and he is unwilling to set an example.” (nik/kes)
